Roster Set, Focus Locked: Tiger-Cats Ready to Charge Into Calgary for Season Opener

All along, they’ve been installing plays and concepts for Opening Night, but they also had to find the time and mental energy to choose the group which will play in that game.

Now that they’ve done that with Saturday’s final roster cuts, the Ticats can focus solely on preparing for Game 1 of the regular season Saturday night in Calgary.

As quarterback Taylor Powell put it so poignantly after Friday night’s camp-ending exhibition game against the Argos in Guelph—when he took the bulk of the snaps at pivot before giving way to Gavin Hardison for the fourth quarter—the final roster reduction day is a difficult time for even those who survive the cut because through three-and-a-half weeks of training camp players establish emotional bonds with each other and regard each other, even newcomers, as teammates. But here’s the stark reality: one day there are still 100 of them, and less than 24 hours later, there are barely half that number. It requires a very quick mental adjustment but that is the nature of professional sport, a cruel business at the best of times.

Hardison, out of University of Texas El Paso, was one of the departees as Bo Levi Mitchell and Powell have the top two jobs nailed completely down and sophomore Harrison Frost returns as the backup, although he’s recovering from injury.

Hardison was one of 24 players released Saturday. That’s five fewer than Heartbreak Saturday last spring when 29 hopefuls were let go, including six who had played for the Ticats the previous season. This year, there were only three cuts who played for the Ticats last year; tight end Camren McDonald, who’s skilled but also American and Scott Milanovich’s “true tight end” position is currently reserved for Global and National players; linebacker DQ Thomas, who played five games last year; and perhaps most surprisingly, fifth year Canadian receiver Luther Hakunavanhu, who made seven starts and scored four touchdowns for the Cats in 2024 his first season in Hamilton.

That Hakunavanhu even inserted himself into the mix this spring is a testament to his toughness and perseverance after he suffered that terrifying season-ending concussion last August.

But someone was going to be odd man out with the depth of the Canadian receiving corps swelled by the acquisition of Drew Wolitarsky and the continued improvement and consistency of Brendan O’Leary-Orange.

Thomas was vulnerable to the free-agency arrival of Brian Cole and the surprisingly mature play of No. 2 overall draft choice Devin Veresuk, who could eventually start on this team and might be a mainstay for years. The other two returning linebackers, Kyle Wilson in the middle and boundary linebacker Ray Wilborn, responded well to the Ticats’ clear indication they were putting pressure on that entire tier of the defence. The no-nonsense Wilson and Wilborn were steady. Wilborn, in particular, took a large, steady, step forward during the entire month of May.

Only one linebacker, American Kyler Fisher, was put on the practice roster, and here’s why: there are three Canucks among the six linebackers chosen for the active roster and all three of them—Veresuk, Ryan Baker who started 14 times as a rookie, and Trevor Hoyte—are all capable of starting or finishing a game in the second tier and are absolutely essential contributors to special teams.

The Ticats are looking to add a second “Canadian position” to the depth they have at safety behind locked-in Stavros Katsantonis. Mack Bannatyne a 2025 draftee has been a revelation and returnee Patrick Burke Jr. cracks the squad, aided by his eye-catching, mobile and aggressive game against the Argos on Friday. Sophomore defensive back Siriman Bagoyogo also makes the roster after a very consistent three weeks.

For the moment that extra Canadian defensive content will come at linebacker, as we mentioned, and/or defensive end. No. 9 overall draft choice Isaiah Bagnah showed why the Ticats selected him that high and free agent Owen Hubert, who played at McMaster, will join him in the defensive line rotation behind presumptive starters, Casey Sayles, Julian Howsare, TyJuan Garbutt and Miles Fox. All are Americans and all but Sayles are new to the team this year although Howsare is back for his second Ticat stint.

Two Canadian defensive tackles accepted positions on the practice roster. Hamilton-raised Kyle Samson was part of a draft-day deal that influenced the late rounds of that draft with Ty Anderson, chosen in the fourth round, also making the team on the PR. A third Canadian defensive tackle, eighth-rounder, Nate Martey was released. Five of the Ticats’ eight draft choices made the team; with offensive lineman Arvin Hosseini joining Veresuk and Bannatyne on the active roster.

The depth of Canadian receivers and the dominating presence of American ball-catchers Kenny Lawler, Tim White and Shemar Bridges made it difficult for any American receiver to crack the game-day roster. The only other import receiver is returnee Isaiah Wooden who had to make that group by also winning  the returner’s job with two outstanding exhibition games, and the transferal of incumbent returner Lawrence Woods III to the six-game injury list. The CFL vet is the only American receiver on the practice roster.

Since the end of last season—even before that, when Greg Bell took over as the uncontested starter at running back—Milanovich has stressed that he wants more balance in his offensive attack.  He’s stayed loyal to that commitment with a lot of runs in both exhibition games, although on-field situations dictated some of that. Bell picked up where he left with a very strong opening half plus a series or two in the third quarter of the first exhibition game before he and the rest of the offensive starters were replaced.

They did not play Friday in the return match at Guelph. But Treshaun Ward did and was a workhorse, unleashing a second gear that he said he’s been wanting to reconnect with—but could not find– since he arrived at Florida State in 2019 before heading to Kansas State then Boston College. In the second half last week at Hamilton Stadium he had eight carries for 76 yards and a touchdown and Friday night he burst open a 38-yard dash among his nine carries. He didn’t arrive at training camp until five days had elapsed but made a quick impression and earned a spot on the practice roster. There is space for only one American running back on game days, but if Bell were to go down with injury Ward would be up to speed immediately for the next week.

Johnny Augustine heads a group of Canadians who will back up Bell on game days and deserves it with his acumen, speed and busy workload in both pre-season games. Ante Litre, and converted linebacker Daniel Bell, in just his second year, are also part of that running back depth. All three of them are important to—here’s that thought again—special teams.

There was no real competition on a core component of special teams;  the “operation” which includes placekicker Marc Liegghio, punter and holder Nik Constantinou and long snapper Gordon Whyte. For the second straight spring Constantinou forced the departure of a fellow Australian. Last year it was Bailey Flint, this year 2025 Global draft choice Josh Green out of Oregon State. Canadian Eric Maximuik did well in his rookie appearance but there was no room at the inn.

While the coaching staff on all three sides of the ball—special teams got a lot more detailed coaching this training camp than in any of recent memory—prepared their groups to be game-ready for this weekend in Calgary they have to be commended for also instilling the belief that a good camp and, even more so, good games against the Argos would actually make a difference to many players potentially on the bubble.

Defensive back Patrick Burke took that to heart and is on the squad and Canadian receiver Keaton Bruggeling, who arrived here after three years with the Redblacks, has been playing three positions. But even after taking five receptions for 85 yards and two touchdowns Friday night admitted he’d have trouble sleeping with the tension of the looming cutdown day. However, with that performance and his willingness to play three positions in camp including long snapper and fullback, he moved from the “bubble” to the practice roster, which the organization considers the Waiting Room, because of its next-man-up mantra.

“It feels great to make the most of your opportunity,” Bruggeling said. “It’s an amazing feeling that all the prep you did, all the training camp, paid off. This was the last day, and just to put it all out on the field was amazing.”

So now it’s all eyes forward. First target: Calgary.