Bomber players getting their time to shine

By Lethbridge Herald on June 18, 2025.

Graham Kelly

Inside the CFL 

It seems the notion that the Blue Bombers are ready for a retirement home is somewhat premature. The five-time straight Western champions hosted a feisty pride of Lions fresh off a feast of Elk meat and thoroughly thumped them 34-20. They did so without quarterback Zach Collaros sitting out a one game suspension for missing a drug test and another future Hall of Famer running back Brady Oliveira who was injured on the first drive of the game.

They say every dog has his day. Last Thursday was backup quarterback Chris Streveler’s time to shine. A rousing runner, great at rallying the troops, anything he contributes to the passing game is considered a bonus by the Blue Bombers. However, he had 24 completions for 246 yards, twice finding Nic Demski in the end- zone.

When Oliveira got hurt after two carries for 49 yards, it was assumed Streveler would pick up the slack. But no. In a typical example of why their front office is so good, they put in rookie Matthew Peterson, a Brooks, AB., native who had been drafted by Hamilton out of the University of Alberta and traded to the Bombers soon after for rookie defensive lineman Kyle Samson, now on the Ti-Cat practice roster. Peterson picked up 130 yards on 23 carries. Even more impressive is the rookie picked up 88 yards after being hit. Streveler had two carries for nine yards.

While Zach Collaros will be back for Saturday’s rematch in Vancouver, Oliveira will miss several games with an upper shoulder injury, giving the young rookie an excellent opportunity to establish himself as a premier running back in the league. Where do they get all these Canadians?

The home team dominated the line of scrimmage to the tune of 201 yards rushing. The O-Line has one new face Micah Vanderpool at left guard. The D-line that controlled Nathan Rourke also has one new addition veteran James Vaughters over from the Stampeders. The linebacking corps is the same as last year with the man in the middle Tony Jones having nine tackles, no misses. They boxed in Rourke who left the game late with an oblique muscle problem. He is doubtful for the rematch Saturday in Vancouver, the last time the teams will meet during the regular season.

At half-time in Hamilton last weekend, the Ti-Cats retired Garney Henley’s No. 26. In 2006, TSN assembled a panel of 60 experts (I was one of them) to choose the top 50 CFL players from the post WW II era. I picked Henley 4th behind George Reed, Doug Flutie and Jackie Parker. He ended up 6th behind those three worthies and Mike Pringle and Warren Moon. The diminutive defensive back and receiver from Hayti, South Dakota was the last of the great two-way players. He was an All-Canadian defensive back nine times, 1963-71. In 1972 he made All-Canadian as a receiver and won the CFL Most Outstanding Player Award. Three years after retiring he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. No one was elevated to the Hall sooner after retiring. Of all his honours, that one meant the most to him.

“That was the ultimate in my career, “ he told me. “I never

really thought about getting into the Hall of Fame until I retired. Then it happened so fast. It means a lot to me now.” Why it took 53 years for the Ti-Cats to retire his number is beyond belief.

Probably his greatest performance came in the 1962 Fog Bowl Grey Cup, played over two days, ironically a 28-27 loss to Winnipeg. He had a 74-yard run, 15 receptions for 267 yards plus three interceptions. His 266 combined yards are the second most in Grey Cup history. Despite his great performance, Leo Lewis was named Grey Cup MVP. Henle appeared in six other Grey Cups, winning four.

Henley may have been the most gifted individual to ever play in the CFL. Ironically, basketball was his first love and baseball second. Football was an after thought. In 1974, he coached the University of Guelph basketball team to the Canadian championship.

His coach and mentor, the late Ralph Sazio, told me years ago that “Garney Henley was tremendous. He was a great receiver and

a great defensive back. He had such great range.”