Darian Durant, seen here during last year's Labour Day Classic, will be under centre for the Riders despite battling a hand injury throughout the week. (file photo)

A Labour Day Classic game with meaning.  

That is what’s in store for Sunday at Mosaic Stadium as the Saskatchewan Roughriders hook-up with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the first Labour Day Classic in a while with two teams fighting for positioning in the standings.

The Riders enter with a 6-2 record, while the Blue Bombers are right behind in the West Division at 6-4.  Saskatchewan holds a 1-0 lead in the season series after their 23-17 win in Winnipeg three weeks ago.

Since that meeting at Investors Group Field, the Riders have won two more times and carry a five-game winning streak into Sunday’s game on Taylor Field.

“It’s a little different feel,” said Saskatchewan head coach Corey Chamblin.  “This is the most stable that they’ve been coming in, so we understand who we’re facing and what we have to do to pull out a victory.”

The Labour Day Classic is always the biggest date on the regular season calendar, but with Winnipeg moving back over into the West Division this season, the game has picked up a little extra meaning.

Both sides know what’s at stake heading into this week’s game with the standings so tight in the West.

“The way the race is in the West right now, every game counts whether it’s division or non-division,” said Chamblin.  “At the end of the day, it’s who stacks up the most wins.”

“This is always a fun game on both sides, both weeks, to see the fans get going, to see all the festivities and just see all the energy and excitement around it.”

Dressler Returns

Just four days after re-signing with the Roughriders, Weston Dressler will be running out of the tunnel with the green and white for the Labour Day Classic.

“It’s a fun week, it’s a fun game, a lot of energy and every year I’ve been here, this has been the best time to be on the field,” said the six-year slotback. 

Dressler returned to the Riders after spending the first half of the CFL season in the National Football League trying out with the Kansas City Chiefs.  He was released on Monday, which sparked a bidding war that the Riders eventually won.

Being back on the field in the only place he’s called home in the CFL has been very enjoyable for Dressler.

“It’s been real fun to get back out there with (Darian Durant, Chris Getzlaf and Rob Bagg),” he said.  “They’ve made it a lot easier on me coming back in right away, so I’m just trying to get more and more familiar and comfortable with everything.”

The biggest step for Dressler was getting back accustomed to the Riders’ playbook, which he feels he’s progressed enough at to make his debut against Winnipeg.

“It’s a lot of things that I’m familiar with, it’s just kind of getting it all back in my head,” Dressler said.  “A lot of things I recognize, but I have to get the little details within it all down again and just retrain my brain.”

Dressler is listed at starting slotback this week along with Chris Getzlaf and Brett Swain with Taj Smith and Rob Bagg at wideout.  Dressler is also listed behind Tristan Jackson at kick returner.

Battle Along The Ground

The game should feature a real back and forth battle in the running game as Saskatchewan comes in with the best team attack, while Winnipeg’s Nic Grigsby started the week as the league’s leading rusher.

Grigsby has had a strong rookie campaign for the Blue Bombers thus far as he’s posted 489 yards on 107 carries and six touchdowns through the first half of the season.

During their first meeting in Week 7, the Riders held the rookie back in check as he finished with just seven yards on ten carries.  The Riders defence has only gotten strong since then and will look for a similar result this week.

“He’s a very athletic back, but we’ve just got to play assignment sound and play gap sound and I think we’ll be fine,” said Chad Kilgore, who will be making his second straight start at middle linebacker.

“We’re looking to stop the run first and make them throw the ball.”

The Riders’ rushing attack leads the league with a 143.9 per game average so far this season.  They’ve had three different players rush for 100 yards in a game and all three will be on the roster this week.

Will Ford and Anthony Allen are listed at running back, while Jerome Messam will be used at fullback.  Messam returns to the lineup after missing last week’s game in BC, he had 126 yards and won Canadian Player of the Week in the first meeting with the Bombers.

News & Notes

Offensive lineman Chris Best is out for the Riders and has been placed on the six-game injured list.  Dan Clark is in his spot along the offensive line.

All-star linebacker Weldon Brown will miss his second week, while fellow linebacker Sam Hurl is back in this week.

The game was announced as a sellout on Sunday morning with 33,427 fans in the stands for the afternoon game.

Kick off is at 2:00pm from Mosaic Stadium, you can follow along live on Twitter @MarcSmith18.