Argonauts, Ticats set to square off for third time in four weeks

TORONTO — Following a one-week hiatus, linebacker Henoc Muamba and the Toronto Argonauts will again square off against their arch rivals.

Toronto (4-5) hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-7) at BMO Field on Friday night before the two teams meet again at Tim Hortons Field on Sept. 5 in their annual Labour Day showdown. The Argos and Ticats opened a two-game series three weeks ago, with the home team winning each contest.

And although the games are important to both teams, Muamba said it's not as if either side needs that as motivation.

"Of anybody we play and don't need anything to get us started or get our juices going, it's the Hamilton team," Muamba said. "Obviously it was just two weeks ago that we lost to them in a game we felt we should've won.

"We're definitely ready and focused and feel like we're ready to put our best foot forward."

Toronto and Hamilton are both coming off losses. The Calgary Stampeders rallied for a 22-19 road victory over the Argos last week while David Cote's 48-yard field goal on the final play earned the Montreal Alouettes a 29-28 home win over the Ticats.

Toronto has lost three of its last four games and two straight, including a 34-27 decision in Hamilton on Aug. 12. In that game, backup Matt Shiltz started for the Ticats, left with an injury but returned to orchestrate two fourth-quarter TD drives that erased a 24-17 deficit.

On Friday, Hamilton starter Dane Evans returns after missing two games with a shoulder ailment. But before Evans' injury, the Ticats played both him and Shiltz, and two weeks ago Shiltz and rookie Jamie Newman both saw action.

So Muamba and the Argos are expecting to face both Evans and Shiltz.

"Obviously he (Evans) has spent more time in the offence," Muamba said. "At