Competition for playing time on deeply talented roster begins as Griffins kick off preseason vs. Bisons

Among 23 returning players for the Griffins are eight of the team's 11 starting players from their final game of the 2022 Canada West season and five others who came off the bench in that 4-1 win over Saskatchewan on Oct. 16, 2022.

Head coach Dean Cordeiro has also added 10 promising newcomers who will push for playing time, which is set to ignite a fierce internal competition on the depth chart over the next three weeks ahead of the team's home opener on Aug. 25 (vs. Regina, 12 p.m., Clarke Stadium).

The Griffins will see their first external competition on Friday when they open a six-game preseason slate vs. Manitoba (1 p.m., Clareview Field). They'll also host the Bisons on Saturday (1 p.m., Clarke Stadium).

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"I would say the mood of the team is 'very excited,' " said Cordeiro. "We're very motivated and looking forward to the start of the season, which is coming quick here with games on Friday and Saturday versus the University of Manitoba. 

"We've been preparing for this for a long time now and we're ready to go."

The Griffins return six of their top-eight scorers from 2022, including U SPORTS first team all-star Grace Mwasalla, U SPORTS second team all-star Anneke Odinga and Canada West first team all-star Maya Morrell. 

Former U SPORTS all-rookie team member (2018) Hannah Supina, defensive rock Abbey Wright and 2022 Canada West all-rookie Amelia Russo return to help Odinga anchor a formidable back line.

"We've basically got our core in place, which is very exciting because there's a ton of success had by this group," said Cordeiro, who still has 15 players on the roster from their 2021 U SPORTS championship team. 

"We've added some exceptionally talented pieces to the puzzle who are going to come in and impact this team. It's a great vibe right now."

In the off-season, many of the Griffins played together in League One with the St. Albert Impact and in the Alberta Major Soccer League with Northwest United, both coached by Cordeiro. 

"When you have a little bit of comfort in regard to who you're playing with, I think it's extremely helpful," said the Griffins coach. "That helps us be in a good spot when we start camp like we have this week. 

"It's a great group. We're eagerly anticipating our home opener in a few weeks, so the real work starts now."

Until then, evaluations at every position will be ongoing as Cordeiro and his staff look for the right mix of players in the 18.

"I think the most important piece is just understanding what we want to see in regard to roles and responsibilities on the pitch," he said. "We have another heavy preseason slate of six matches, so there will be a lot of opportunities for players to move up and down the depth chart and for us to find partnerships. At the end of the day, it's about finding units of players who have good chemistry, and we will use the next three weeks to discover that.

"We're excited about people stepping in and competing and working their way into positions on the team. We're a deep team and we're going to need everybody, and we can't wait to see the final product on the pitch."