Calgary Stampeders at Saskatchewan Roughriders
New Mosaic Stadium
Friday, June 8
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. MTN
Radio: 770 CHQR
TV: N/A

It’s time to make one last impression.

The Stampeders are set for their final pre-season game tune-up as they travel to Regina to take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

With cuts looming, Friday is a chance for players to show what they can bring to the team in hopes of being named to the final roster as the regular season gets underway next week against the Hamilton Tiger Cats

“We’re on the backend of training camp,” head coach Dave Dickenson said. “I want to make sure that the guys know there’s a lot of urgency.

“We’ve never headed into a second pre-season game with so many jobs at stake and still some uncertainty how the roster will look opening day. We knew that was going to be the case with the off-season we had but the guys are ready to prove themselves.”

The Stamps head into the tilt after a 32-21 loss to the BC Lions on June 1 at McMahon Stadium in their first pre-season matchup.

The Red and White got off to a strong start leading 10-3 after the first quarter and 18-11 headed into the half until the Lions stormed back and played spoiler winning on the road.

It was a tale of two halves, as the momentum and strong start got away from them and Dickenson stated that he will be looking for more of a complete game this time around, wanting to enter the regular season on a high note.

“You have to make sure you are locked into the details, preserve your energy and be ready to play,” he said. “The second pre-season game is always tough because you fly out the day of but the guys know what they have to do and know to take it serious.

As kick-off inches closer, there’s one particular player who is itching to get onto the field in former Roughrider defensive lineman Ese Mrabure.

After two seasons spent in Saskatchewan, the 25-year-old signed with the Stamps as a free-agent this past off-season and after missing the first pre-season game, what better way to debut than against his previous club.

“You miss a week of football it feels like you miss more than that,” he said. “Being back on the field is the number-one priority but I’m extra excited to be playing against a former team.

“Playing in that stadium I’m accustomed to and they’ll be a lot of familiar faces to go up against which is so exciting.”

Even with the added pressure of being the last game of the pre-season and jobs on the line, Mrabure said all the players in camp are doing a great job supporting each other.

“It’s all about making sure we’re ready to go and that all the new guys are ready to go,” he said. That’s what family is all about, having each other’s back and this organization is very family orientated.

“The goal is to thrive to be better than yesterday.”