Arland Bruce excited for return to Hamilton
Posted Oct 19, 2011 08:22:42 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS1130) – The BC Lions are preparing to face the Hamilton Tiger Cats on Saturday and the game is extra special for Arland Bruce, who was traded from Hamilton earlier in the season.
Bruce spent parts of three season in Hamilton and went to the playoffs twice. He was traded from the Toronto Argonauts on July 29, 2009 for Corey Mace, a third round pick in the 2010 CFL Draft, and a conditional third round pick in the 2011 CFL Draft.
The enigmatic receiver says he’s excited to return to his old home and expects to be well received by the crowd at Ivor Wynn Stadium. “Love, because I’m on the team that helped them get into the playoffs, so it should be nothing but love.”
Bruce excelled in Steeltown right away. He caught 74 passes for 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns with the Tiger Cats in 2009.
In 2010, Bruce played his first full year with Hamilton and continued to chalk up the yardage. He caught 86 passes for 1,303 yards and eight touchdowns. It was the sixth time in his career he had surpassed 1,000 receiving yards.
Things seemed to turn for Bruce early in the 2011 season. He wasn’t seeing many balls thrown his way to start the season while also dealing with an injury. He caught for just 104 yards before being traded to the Lions on August 3, 2011. In exchange the Lions sent a third-round draft pick in the 2012 CFL Draft and a conditional draft pick in the 2013 CFL Draft to Hamilton.
Bruce has gotten back on the right track since coming to BC. In nine games thus far he’s pulled in 35 passes for 577 yards and seven touchdowns.
Kickoff on Saturday is 4 p.m. The Lions can clinch a home playoff game with a win and a Calgary Stampeders loss.
