WINNIPEG – It could say more about the team than the actual player but the Winnipeg Blue Bombers kicker was one of the clubs most outstanding players this past season. Following in the footsteps of Trevor Kennerd, Troy Westwood, Justin Palardy and Alexis Serna, rookie Lirim Hajrullahu setting a new club record for kicking accuracy in a season, making 40 of his 46 field goal attempts for an 87 percent success rate. It just barely overtakes the old mark of 86.7 per cent set by Palardy who did it twice in 2010 and 2012.
While it’s highly unlikely the 24-year-old rookie will garner the teams nomination for most outstanding player, the argument can certainly be made that Hajrullahu is deserving of the Bombers most outstanding Canadian nomination as well as the most outstanding special teams player and most outstanding rookie nominations.
Hajrullahu began the season as the team’s place kicker getting used for kickoffs and field goals but after Mike Renaud was sidelined by injury, Hajrullahu also assumed the punting duties. It’s a job he won’t relinquish without a fight, “I’m coming back to camp and compete for all three,” said Hajrullahu. “That’s my goal. I’m not gonna hide that.”
Hajrullahu had a 43.8 yard punting average on 109 punts in his rookie season. It puts him near the bottom of the league but he was still better than Renaud’s 42.7 yard average before the injury.
“The reason I do like it because it keeps me in the game,” said Hajrullahu. “When you’re a kicker sometimes you don’t get the opportunity to be in the game for a quarter or two and then you get cold. Being able to punt, kickoff and kick you’re always in the game and you’re always staying warm and you kinda build a flow with the game.”
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