Chris Milo, left, and Justin Palardy, right, stand on the sidelines with long snapper Levi Steinhauer during Wednesday's practice at Mosaic Stadium.

Chris Milo has struggled so far to start the 2014 CFL season.

Coming off a stellar 2013 season for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in which he was perfect on field goal attempts through the first nine games, Milo has hit just 71 per cent of his attempts this year.

Enter Justin Palardy.  The veteran kicker was added to the Riders’ practice roster on Wednesday as insurance and in an attempt to push Milo.

“I haven’t had the start of the season that I wanted to or that the team expected of me,” said Milo after practice on Wednesday.  “It’s always good to have someone behind you, especially someone of (Palardy)’s calibre.”

2013 was a resurgence for Milo as he came back more focused after losing the place kicking job in 2012.  He proceeded to fight off the competition during training camp and roll the rest of the season.

After making good on 88.5 per cent of his field goal attempts in 2013, the Riders gave him the job this season without much competition.  Milo has struggled to find that consistency that he had last year.

“The confidence is still there, so it has nothing to do with that, it’s just sometimes the balls don’t go your way,” said Milo.  “Practice has been going well — it’s not like I’ve been missing much in practice —that’s the big issue is just transferring that over to game day.

“I’m happy there’s someone behind me, it will be healthy competition.”

Palardy has five CFL seasons under his belt, mostly with Winnipeg.  He enters with career field goal percentage of 82 per cent and hit 9-of-12 attempts last year.  He was cut from the Ottawa Redblacks during training camp this year.

Palardy however isn’t coming in to steal anyone’s job.

“It’s just part of the business, I’ve been a part of it myself,” he said.  “Chris will rebound and I’m just here to lend a hand and help anyway I can.”

After getting released by the Redblacks and no phone calls came, Palardy said he started to question whether he’d get back into the league, but he’s ready to come in and help the Riders.

“Competition is good for anyone, it makes you push yourself and it brings the best out of you,” said Palardy.  “To have this opportunity, whether it extends onto the playing field or I’m just here to sit on the sidelines, so be it.  I’m just happy to be able to step on a professional field again.”

The optics might suggest the Riders are ready to give up on Milo after a slow start, but head coach Corey Chamblin said the timing of the Palardy signing is just coincidence.

“He was probably going to come in before that,” he said.  “When Milo was sick last week and our backup kicker, which is Paul Woldu, had to get an examination on his knee, so we thought we were going to be down a kicker.

“It was just proper planning on our part and being smart more so than looking at a percentage.  (Milo) is our kicker and like all other positions, it’s good to have competition.”

Whether Palardy makes it onto the roster anytime soon is another question, but the Riders will get their answer on whether the move was able to light a fire under Milo this weekend.  The Riders will be in Vancouver on Sunday to take on the BC Lions.

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