MONTREAL – If he could, Tyson Philpot would have played the Eastern final with his orthopedic scooter. If he decided, Walter Fletcher would sign a new contract in Montreal. If he were younger, Kristian Matte would still be playing.
For these three pillars of the Alouettes, the situation is very different, but it is read in the conditional.
Limited to nine games in 2024 due to injuries, Philpot would undoubtedly have provided valuable service to the Alouettes against the Argonauts.
Confined to a spectator role for this crucial meeting, Philpot lost his eternal smile for each turnover committed by his team and when the fate of the match was sealed.
“We have such a good group, we gave them this match. I can tell you that the guys were convinced to come back strong next season,” Philpot promised, including himself in his statement.
In his case, training camp remains the goal, but he admits his return could be in the first week of the 2025 season.
“Getting back into shape is going well, I will have my second operation in about a month. I will then be able to walk and follow the other steps,” described Philpot who will have the screw removed from his right foot.
“It was not necessary, but I chose this option to be prudent and to ensure my return next season,” he explained.
His future in Montreal is assured, but it is not impossible that his twin, Jalen, who is eligible for autonomy, will join him.
“I discussed it a little with Danny (Maciocia, the general manager). In the end, it will be my brother’s decision, but two Philpots are always better than one. You never know,” he commented.
Fletcher’s contract is up
Walter Fletcher is far from being the only Alouettes player to make mistakes during the loss against the Argos.
On the other hand, the timing was very bad as he comes to the end of his pact with the Alouettes. We still tend to believe that the Montreal organization will want to continue its association with him.
It all depends on the confidence of the leaders in his ability to fulfill his mandate in the next crucial matches.
“I become a free agent, it will be an important period. I’m going to stay in Montreal for the next few weeks,” Fletcher said when we met him at the Birds’ report.
In December, Fletcher will be 28 years old and he believes he has demonstrated his value in Jason Maas’ offensive vision.
“I know this attack in detail. In Coach Maas’ system, you need a dynamic and versatile running back. I think I fit in wonderfully,” said the man who amassed 1,446 yards (764 rushing and 682 passing) in 2024.
We must mention that Sean Thomas Erlington showed great poise in the Eastern final with a 38-yard run and helping out Cody Fajardo by transforming a small catch into a 23-yard gain.
Retirement for Matte?
The venerable Kristian Matte loves football too much not to enjoy every step of the final stretch of his career.
So, before deciding on a possible retirement, he savored the moments with his teammates during the assessment.
“I am focusing on the end of the 2024 season, we are a group that loves each other a lot. For the future, it will be a family decision, we will discuss it,” indicated the offensive lineman who will be 40 years old. in September 2025.
Matte also feels affection from the public and he wanted to send this message.
“I would like to thank the fans. The atmosphere was incredible with the noise and lights of the phones at the end. They believed in us until the last second. It’s special, the culture we build in the locker room and with our public,” he noted.
Whether he returns to the Alouettes as a player or in a coaching role, Matte says he is convinced of one thing.
“Yes, we are angry and it was heartbreaking, but we have to be able to grow. I can already see that the guys will work even harder, that their inner fire will be more intense. We will be even hungrier,” Matte argued.
“Georges St-Pierre came to speak to us recently. He said that when you’re the king of the mountain, everyone wants to take you down. He lost his title, but he was able to regain it. It will be a learning experience for us, we know how much it hurts now,” concluded Matte.
