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Brendon LaBatte has an additional reason to look forward to the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ regular-season opener.

While missing most of the 2016 season with what was eventually diagnosed as a bruised nerve in his neck, the seven-time all-star guard dealt with an extended hiatus for the first time as a CFLer.

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“Right after it happened last year, I was thinking last August and September that I was going to be probably done playing,” recalled LaBatte, 30. “That’s probably where most of the soul-searching came from.

“Once I got word in December that there was nothing seriously wrong and the doctor didn’t have any reservations about me going out and playing again, that put my mind at ease and I was able to have a pretty good off-season.”

The Weyburn-born LaBatte does not report any ill effects from the neck injury, suffered during the Riders’ third game of the 2016 season.

The only current issue is an ankle injury that nagged him during training camp and the pre-season, but he is ready for Thursday’s road game against the Montreal Alouettes.