The venue. The occasion. The opponent. The ramifications.

Simply as good as it gets.

“This is awesome,’’ says Anthony Woodson. “My first game back, playing for the Stampeders, my hometown team, obviously holds a huge significance for me.

“Being against Edmonton only makes it better.

“And then playing at home, here at McMahon Stadium, in the Labour Day Classic, well …”

A trifecta payout that breaks the bank.

The 29-year-old homebrew tailback signed on as a free agent after a season and a half as both a Winnipeg Blue Bomber and Toronto Argonauts and the last two in Steeltown as a Tiger-Cat.

Waiting his turn on the practice roster, the St. Francis High School/U of C Dinos has been added to the 46-man roster for Monday’s classic collision.

“The good thing is, this is my sixth year,’’ says Woodson. “So really, if there’s any nerves, it’s just about being on a new team and wanting to prove myself.

“Games are where you’re really judged. But the other opportunity to make an impression is obviously in practice. Be a good practice player. There, you get a chance to show them what you can do, as well. And I’ve been happy with my practices the last few weeks.

“Now I get this chance.

“Just looking forward to putting it all out there on game day.”

Woodson signed with his hometown Stamps in February (Photo by Angela Burger)

Woodson’s dad, Tony, prowled behind the Stampeder defensive front for two seasons back in the mid-80s.

His Labour Day experiences, a 34-28 loss in 1985 and then a 42-19 shellacking a year later, weren’t particularly happy.

“Thanks for bringing that up,’’ jokes Woodson Sr. “I guess this is an opportunity for our family to get our first Labour Day victory.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for Anthony. It’s been a long wait but sometimes when we wait for things, we appreciate them a whole lot more, right?

“I’m sure he’s ecstatic about the chance. And it couldn’t be more fitting, being a Labour Day Classic.

“Being brought up in Calgary, going way back to the Cowboys peewee team, being involved in the football community here, he fully fathoms how important this game is.

“I was just talking about that this morning with my wife: How much tradition, how intense, the Labour Day Classic is. I can just remember in the time I played the degree of community interest, the hype, being so huge.

“I don’t think it’s lost any of its appeal or excitement over the years.

“It’s big for us as a city, let’s face it.”

Woodson Jr. isn’t old enough to have seen his dad sail into battle against those dastardly Eskimos.

“But I do remember the Labour Day games our coach (Dave Dickenson) was involved in,’’ he says. “Those were huge. They made a big impact on me. That’s when I was old enough to be a real Stamps fan.

“It’s the game everybody circles on their calendar.

“It’s the game everybody looks forward to.

“Needless to say, I’m pretty pumped to be involved.”