Photo courtesy: Bob Butrim/RFB Sport Photography
The Toronto Argonauts will have a new special teams lineup when they face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday.
Award-winning kick returner Janarion Grant (knee) and league MVP John Haggerty (hamstring) were placed on the one-game injured list ahead of the first meeting between the Ontario rivals. Canadian defensive lineman Jeremiah Ojo will also be unavailable after a biceps issue landed him on the six-game injured list.
James Burnip will replace Haggerty as the starter after he was acquired in a trade from the Ottawa Redblacks earlier this week. The Mount Macedon, Australia native attended the University of Alabama, where he averaged a career 43.8 yards per punt in 55 games and ranked second in Crimson Tide history in yards per punt. The first-round CFL Global Draft pick was also a Ray Guy Award semifinalist in 2024 and earned All-America honors in 2023.
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American rookie Diemer Miller will make his CFL debut and is expected to become the club’s return specialist, replacing Grant. The five-foot-eleven, 184-pound target finished his collegiate career at Rutgers University, where he had 59 catches for 757 yards and four touchdowns over 13 games. He previously spent three seasons at Monmouth. university where he is set several school single-season records and was named an FCS All-American in 2023, recording 168 receptions for 2,387 yards and 17 touchdowns during his time with the Hawks.
In addition to the special teams changes, Canadian wide receiver Tristan Reedy will enter the lineup and be listed as the starter, although the team is expected to adjust its roster to allow star receiver Damonte Coxie to play the majority of snaps as the designated Nationalized American.
Defensively, the team has not made any additions since Ojo’s injury, although they will make changes on defense. Bubba Bolden, who started the season with the Montreal Alouettes, will start at safety and draft pick Ethan John will return to a backup role.
The Toronto Argonauts (2-3) will face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-3) at Hamilton Stadium on Saturday, July 18, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The Argonauts lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 30-21 and the Tiger-Cats lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders 38-7.
The weather forecast for Hamilton calls for a high of 28 degrees and a chance of rain of 40 degrees. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in to TSN 1050 in Toronto or the Ticats Audio Network in Hamilton.
Visit our Ontario Sportsbook page Here and our Alberta sportsbook page Here.
Graphic credit: Toronto Argonauts.
