Aug. 23 - For the 75 or so players involved in this year's Bison football training camp, Saturday's exhibition game against the Winnipeg Senior Mustangs will bring some welcome relief from the gruelling three-a-day practices that Brian Dobie and his coaching staff have been putting the players through. Hot temperatures, plenty of mosquitoes, and a rough practice field have been the story of the last week and many of the players are chomping at the bit to show what they can do in a real game.

For many of the players on the bubble, a few minutes of playing time in Saturday's game will be the only chance they have to make a lasting impression on the coaching staff as the regular season will open a week from Saturday in Regina in "THE REMATCH".

Fans can expect to see playing time for both veterans and rookies in the game as the coaching staff attempts to put together the pieces of what is hopefully a Vanier Cup winning team.

With the entire front seven on defence returning and a talented complement of new talent in the secondary, the best defence in the conference last season looks to be as strong or even stronger this year.

On offence, most starters have returned, but there are battles brewing at a couple of key positions as the Herd will attempt to solidify their air and ground attack.

The last time these two teams hooked up was August 28, 1999 with the Bisons earning a hard-fought 29-9 victory. In that game the Herd was led by QB Shane Munson who was making his first career start after red-shirting in '98. The freshman went 15 of 24 for 164 yards and 1 TD against the Mustangs, cementing himself as the starter for the rest of the year. The native of Thunder Bay, ON went on to lead the Herd to a 5-3 record in 1999 and was named Canada West Rookie of the Year for his outstanding play.