HAMILTON — There will be no final-season break for Luke Tasker.
The slotback will be one of the few veterans on the field Saturday night when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (14-3) close out the regular season hosting the Toronto Argonauts (4-13). Tasker isn't being unfairly penalized, rather he'll be making just his second appearance after missing eight games with shoulder and hamstring injuries.
"I want to play right now," Tasker said following Friday's walkthrough. "It's been such a hard season for me physically that the more the better for me.
"Just to get more reps with Dane (Ticats starter Dane Evans), more reps running to feel comfortable and in playoff mode when we get there. Adversity is the only thing guaranteed in football and I've had a tough go of it but I'm back playing now and feel good."
The five-foot-11, 191-pound native of East Aurora, N.Y., returned to Hamilton's lineup in last weekend's 38-26 road win over Montreal, registering three catches for 24 yards. In eight games this season, Tasker has 29 catches for 316 yards and no TDs, all career lows since 2014.
Tasker had 78 catches for 1,104 yards with 11 TDs in 2018, his third 1,000-yard campaign in four seasons. In his seventh season with Hamilton, Tasker has registered 448 career catches with the Ticats for 5,644 yards with 35 TDs.
"It's been a long grind for Luke and I'm proud of him," said Ticats head coach Orlondo Steinauer. "When he gets out there, lead some of the younger guys that may be out there that lack a little bit of experience.
"Other than that, nothing super hero-ish. Just go out there and be him and when his number is called step up like he always has."
Tasker returned to the lineup in time to watch teammate Brandon Banks break Tasker's club record for most catches in a season (104). Banks had 11 receptions for 201 yards and three TDs to give him 112 grabs for 1,550 yards and 13 touchdowns — all league-high marks.
"He's just a heck of a talent," Tasker said of Banks. "It's interesting because Speedy and I came in at the exact same week in 2013 and it's been fun to play with him and to be a part of the career he's having here.
"This year, with what the team and he's done, it's a historic year for the franchise and Speedy."
But Banks won't play Saturday. With Hamilton having cemented first in the East Division and home-field advantage for the conference final Nov. 17, Banks tops the list of starters who won't dress. The others include receiver Bralon Addison, running back Terrell Sutton, cornerback Delvin Breaux Jr., defensive lineman Ja'Gared Davis and offensive Brandon Revenberg.
Centre Mike Filer and right tackle Chris Van Zeyl, defensive tackles Ted Laurent and Dylan Wynn, linebackers Justin Tuggle and Simoni Lawrence and safety Tunde Adeleke are scheduled to be in uniform but are listed as backups.
Rookie Hayden Moore makes his first CFL start for Hamilton, having made one of his two passes this season for four yards. Veteran David Watford serves as the backup with Evans listed No. 3 on the depth chart.
"I just want to see (Moore) go out there, relax and execute the gameplan we have for him," Steinauer said. "Really, just adapt to whatever situation it is, whether we need a long drive or key first down.
"I want to see him compete through adversity."
Hamilton will attempt to end the regular season with six consecutive victories, which would be the best year-end win streak since 1972, when the Ticats won a club-record 10 straight to end the regular season.
Toronto will also be without many veterans. Receiver Derel Walker — its outstanding player nominee — running back/returner Chris Rainey — the Argos' top special-teams player — defensive back Abdul Kanneh and defensive lineman Cleyon Laing — the '19 outstanding Canadian and defensive player nominee — all won't dress.
Third-year pro Dakota Prukop is listed as Toronto's starter after completing six-of-eight passes for 98 yards and two TDs in last weekend's 39-9 home win over Ottawa. Canadian rookie Michael O'Conner is second on the depth chart after connecting on five-of-nine throws for 61 yards and a touchdown versus the Redblacks.
Incumbent McLeod Bethel-Thompson, one of just three 4,000-yard passers in the CFL this year (4,024) and the league leader in TD strikes (26), is listed at No. 3. Running back James Wilder Jr. will back up A.J. Ouellette.
Toronto will attempt to win two straight for the first time this year.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (4-13) VERSUS HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (14-3)
Saturday night, Tim Hortons Field.
ARGOS' STRUGGLES: Three of Toronto's four wins this season have come against the Ottawa Redblacks. The Argos have lost five straight games to Hamilton. Their last victory over the Ticats came in 2017.
STATS CORRECTION: After several revisions, Lawrence has a CFL-high 98 tackles, three more than was originally reported earlier this week. If Lawrence registers two tackles Saturday, he'd reach the century mark for the first time in his career. Lawrence is 25th on the all-time list with 544 tackles, one behind Omarr Morgan.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE: Hamilton has already won a club-record 14 wins this season and with a victory can finish with a perfect 9-0 record at Tim Hortons Field this year. That would be another franchise first. The last East Division team to amass an unbeaten home mark in a 15-win season was the '09 Montreal Alouettes.
WEST SUCCESS: The Hamilton Tiger-Cats cap their '19 regular season hosting Toronto. But the Ticats were a stellar 8-2 versus West Division clubs this year. That's two more wins than they've ever registered against Western rivals.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2019.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
