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![\"MIKE](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4538244_web1_WillieJeffersonFeature_MikeSudoma_July30_2026-8.jpg\")
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MIKE SUDOMA\/FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Willie Jefferson prior to a game against the B.C. Lions in Winnipeg in July.<\/p>\n
\u201cWillie is one of my best friends, one of the best players in the league. It\u2019s amazing to see what he\u2019s doing on film, what he\u2019s always done on film,\u201d said Hardrick, who spent eight seasons with the Blue Bombers before joining the Roughriders in 2024 as a free agent. \u201cWith the way that you know he plays and what he can do to a team with his energy and knowing that\u2019s on the other side from you all game, that\u2019s a big challenge that you look forward to.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely a long week thinking about going against Willie. Just mutual respect, hoping to put my best foot forward and hug him after (the game on Sunday) and tell him that I love him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Upon his arrival at the team hotel in Regina, Jefferson was asked about facing his close friend in a game that features so much pomp and circumstance in what will be a sold-out crowd at Mosaic Stadium, where kickoff is set for just after 6 p.m.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be fun. It was always fun during practice, doing one-on-ones and team periods and stuff like that,\u201d said Jefferson, who was sporting a bright yellow Humboldt Broncos jersey to show his support for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team. \u201c(I appreciate) his physicality and his ability to try to get under people\u2019s skin. I\u2019ve known him for a while and I know the way that he plays the game. It\u2019s fun to try to battle him and to get under each other\u2019s skin.\u201d<\/p>\n
How challenging is it to do the things required to get under the opponent\u2019s skin, while trying to avoid being penalized for any extra curricular activity that may take place as you try to gain the upper hand?<\/p>\n
\u201cMost definitely you try to play it as close to the line as possible,\u201d said Jefferson, who picked up the 100th pass knockdown of his career last week against the Montreal Alouettes. \u201cThis is a game that both of us circle on our calendars at the beginning of the year when the schedules come out.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to get the work in and then we\u2019re going to be able to shake hands, hug and do all of that good stuff after the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roughriders head coach Corey Mace showed his appreciation for Jefferson, before delving a bit deeper into the individual matchup.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a Hall of Famer. A guy that no matter where he\u2019s been and whatever team he\u2019s been on, you\u2019ve got to know where he\u2019s at. He can affect the game in so many different ways and he seems to make big plays in big games,\u201d said Mace. \u201c\u201cAs a football nerd, you love it. I know certainly as a football fan, seeing Jermarcus and Willie have a chance to go at each other, knowing their relationship and what that looks like off the field, it just speaks to the character of those men. To know that while (they) are really close friends, on game day, there\u2019s no such thing and that\u2019s fun to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bomber Willie Jefferson (5) lunges at Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Jake Dolegala (9) during second half CFL action in Winnipeg on Sept. 9, 2023.<\/p>\n Bombers head coach Mike O\u2019Shea shared a similar sentiment when asked about two guys who are among the best to do it at their respective positions in the CFL.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one of those matchups that if you could train yourself to not watch the ball, that you would key in on something like that,\u201d said O\u2019Shea. \u201cThey\u2019re both excellent players, highly-skilled, high level, tops of their game type of players and they are both fun to watch.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately in my position, I have to try and take in more than just that battle and I hope it is a physical battle. You\u2019d hate for it to just be finesse. Not on Labour Day.\u201d<\/p>\n The game itself \u2013 and the highlighted individual matchup \u2013 will undoubtedly be physical.<\/p>\n Looking at the bigger picture, both the Bombers (6-5) and Roughriders (7-4) would love to be able to sweep the two-game series that continues with the Banjo Bowl next Saturday, but neither team is looking beyond Sunday given how tight things are in the West Division.<\/p>\n \u201cThe West right now is a fight,\u201d said Hardrick. \u201cEvery win matters, especially in the head-to-heads and back-to-backs. These are huge weeks for both teams.\u201d<\/p>\n ONE DOOR CLOSES \u2026<\/p>\n The Blue Bombers were bitten by the injury bug this week and will be without slotback Nic Demski, defensive back Jonathan Moxey and linebackers Brody Clark and Dylan Hazen.<\/p>\n Demski\u2019s absence opens the door for rookie receiver Dorian Singer to slide into the slot in his CFL debut.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t DARRYL DYCK \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Saskatchewan Roughriders offensive lineman Jermarcus Hardrick smiles during a walkthrough ahead of the 112th CFL Grey Cup, in Winnipeg in 2025.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \u201cHe\u2019s a guy that when he first stepped on the field at training camp, he caught a bunch of eyes for sure,\u201d said Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros. \u201cHe\u2019s a very talented football player and he\u2019s put a lot of work in. He\u2019s done a great job of learning what we do and staying on top of that kind of stuff. He\u2019s stayed ready for his opportunity, so I\u2019m really excited for him.<\/p>\n \u201cHis athletic ability really stands out, with the way he can go up and get the football. He\u2019s fast, he attacks the ball when it\u2019s in the air and he does a really good job of plucking it out of the air. He can do a lot of things. This is a really cool game to make your first (CFL) game and I think he\u2019ll have a lot of fun with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Singer was noticeable throughout the course of the week, both for his ability to make catches while working with the first-team offence but also for the work he put in going over his script after the official workouts were over.<\/p>\n \u201cIt shows some great self-awareness,\u201d said O\u2019Shea. \u201cHe understands how he needs to learn. Not everybody does it that way. Understanding how you learn is a great start toward being a pro.\u201d<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/kenwiebe<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Ken Wiebe Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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