‘I’m ready to go’: Bombers’ Collaros expects to play in Grey Cup

After days of questions surrounding the status of his right ankle, Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros made a declaration ahead of Sunday’s Grey Cup.

“I’m ready to go. I’ll be ready to play,” Collaros told reporters Thursday.

Collaros hasn’t practised this week but said he expects to work out with his teammates on Friday. He will look to win his third straight Grey Cup with the Bombers as they take on the Toronto Argonauts at Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff for the game is set for 5 p.m.

“I’ve just been doing what I can to be ready to get out there to play, just listening to the training staff and doing everything I can to prepare to help my team win the game so it has been good,” the 34-year-old said.

“I don’t like missing practice. I think it’s important. I think every rep is important to get whether it is a game rep (or) a practice rep. I think you should be practising and it’s tough (to miss practice).”

Collaros’ right ankle was twisted when he was hit late in the Bombers’ 28-20 West Division final win over the B.C. Lions. He left the game and didn’t return.

Collaros, who is the West Division’s nominee for the award as the CFL’s most outstanding player, threw for 4,183 yards in the regular season with 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Ja’Gared Davis keeps streak alive

Another year in the CFL, another Grey Cup for Ja’Gared Davis.

Toronto Argonauts defensive end Ja’Gared Davis. (Britton Gray/980 CJME)

The 32-year-old defensive end has played six CFL seasons — three with the Calgary Stampeders, two with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and now one with Toronto — and has appeared in the Grey Cup in each of those seasons.

“I never take it for granted. I’ve been blessed to be a part of some great teams, some great organizations and Lady Luck has definitely been on my side,” Davis said. “Just being able to make it to one Grey Cup is a feat in itself, but to be able to do it six times in a row is unimaginable.

“It’s one of those things that I’ll cherish forever.”

While he has been in the title game a lot, Davis has only one ring to show for it; he won in 2018 with the Stamps.

But he could get a chance to extract some revenge for the past two losses. The Bombers beat his teams in 2019 and 2021.

“It’s great. You always want to play against the best at the best time of the year,” Davis said.

Cold enough for you yet, Chad Kelly?

When the Argos practised Wednesday for the first time in Regina, backup quarterback Chad Kelly loudly pronounced it wasn’t cold enough inside a snowy Mosaic Stadium.

On Thursday when Toronto was practising, a wind gusting to near 50 kilometres per hour and a wind chill of -25 C were expected.

But Kelly said it’s still not cold enough.

“It’s never cold enough,” the Buffalo product said. “Growing up, me and my brother, it didn’t matter if it was five degrees (or) minus-five degrees, we would go out there and throw the football around. We would go out there and make some snowballs and throw them at cars or stop signs.

“We love the snow and that’s what we grew up on.”