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Another year, another run at a Grey Cup.
Metchosin鈥檚 Tim O鈥橬eill will not settle for less as the former member of the Victoria (and now Westshore) Rebels works through training camp as an offensive lineman with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who have lost two straight Canadian Football League championships.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for another good season in Hamilton. There are a lot of pieces coming back and we definitely know our goal coming in. Everyone wants to finish it and win the big one,鈥� O鈥橬eill, 35, said before departing for training camp.
鈥淲e were so close. The next step for us is winning the big game so everyone has that common mindset and I think we鈥檙e going to have a good season.鈥�
The Ticats lost the Grey Cup final 20-16 to the Calgary Stampeders last season and 45-23 to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2013.
The six-foot-three, 305-pounder is entering his eighth CFL season, having spent his first four campaigns in Calgary with the Stampeders. He recently signed a two-year contract extension with the Tabbies.
鈥淚鈥檒l play that out and re-evaluate. I feel good, still love it. I love going to work, preparing and being a football player. It would be hard to give up, but I have some time left,鈥� said O鈥橬eill, who is joined this season in Hamilton by fellow offensive lineman Carson Rockhill, of Parksville.
Rockhill is a six-foot-six, 284-pounder who turns 25 at the end of June. He鈥檚 a former Ballenas Whaler who played for the University of Calgary Dinos.
The two are not alone, however, as a handful of Vancouver Islanders toil in the CFL.
Brian Ramsay, also an offensive lineman, is back in Edmonton with the Eskimos.
Former Rebel Rob Cote returns to the Grey Cup-champion Stampeders and Alex Anthony and Alex Carroll were a pair of receivers (and Mount Douglas grads) in Saskatchewan.
The Roughriders released Anthony on Wednesday.
鈥淟ife happens. Move on & stay positive. I will never forget my time here. Great organization and amazing fans! Thank you #Ridernation #CFL,鈥� Anthony tweeted.
The former Mount Douglas Ram won a Grey Cup ring with Saskatchewan two years ago and is now looking for work elsewhere in the league.
Hunter Steward of Victoria, an offensive lineman, remains with the sa国际传媒 Lions. So does another former Grey Cup champ, running back Andrew Harris, who played in Nanaimo with the Vancouver Island Raiders.
Former VI Raiders鈥� receiver, Andrew Smith (a Nanaimo product) is having a go as a slotback at Montreal Alouettes鈥� camp and former Raiders鈥� quarterback Jordan Yantz is in Winnipeg with the Blue Bombers.
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