Winnipeg native Brady Oliveira rushed for over 100 yards in front of his hometown crowd in his second chance at a CFL debut as the Blue Bombers took to the field for the first time since the 2019 Grey Cup.

Oliveira was named the player of the game, rushing 22 times for a total of 126 yards, as the Bombers marched to a 19-6 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“Lived out a childhood dream,” says Oliveira at the post-game press conference. Oliveira was drafted in 2019 and earned a spot on the team's roster only to be sidelined for the season with a broken ankle in the team's 2019 home opener.

“Me being from Winnipeg, I used to come to games here as a kid, sit in the stands and watch a game, and now that I’m able to experience it and go out there and soak it all in, I had so much fun out there tonight. It was truly amazing, a game I will remember for the rest of my life and this is only the beginning right now."

Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros completed 18 of 28 passes, including two touchdown throws to Kenny Lawler. Collaros threw a total of 217 yards and no interceptions.

“To be able to come together and get things done tonight for the city of Winnipeg, and for the fans to be able to celebrate what we accomplished in 2019 tonight, it’s amazing that we’re here tonight and that we got here,” Collaros says.

Fans back in the stands

Fans line up outside IG Field before the gameMany people arrived hours before the game started. (Judson Rempel)

It was a near sell-out crowd at the first major event in Manitoba since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with an announced attendance of 29,376.

"It was a really weird experience," Judson Rempel says. He was there with his young son.

"It felt kind of normal to be in a stadium like that, again," he says, "and at the same time incredibly weird because I haven't been in a place like that in over a year. All in all, it was an incredible experience. I got to see the banner raised, and it was loud. I haven't been in a place that loud in a really long time. Honestly, I'm just so happy the Bombers are back."

Fans needed to have both COVID-19 vaccination shots in order to attend and show proof before entering IG Field. The team had asked people to arrive early to help with lineups.

A large lineup of people wait for buses following the gameLarge crowds wait for buses following the Bombers victory. (Taylor Brock)

Once inside many reported feeling like things may be getting back to normal despite the attendance restrictions.

There were large lineups reported inside the concourse, with long waits for refreshments. Bombers president Wade Miller had said earlier in the week that some delays could be expected as over 1,000 game day staff got back to work for the first time in nearly two years.

The Bombers next game is at IG Field again, when they take on the Argonauts on August 13.