Winnipeg Free Press:

It’s been called a soap opera, but even the storylines in a daytime drama develop, mature and evolve. And so do the characters occasionally.

But not so with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the ongoing — and we mean on and on and ongoing — saga that is their brutally inconsistent kicking game.

The script, as we all know now, goes like something this: Troy Westwood struggles; challengers arrive to push Westwood; Westwood keeps job.

But this time — no, really — it could be different. The reaction of head coach Doug Berry after Thursday’s pre-season loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats spoke volumes. Same goes for GM Brendan Taman, who has long had Westwood’s back.

These guys aren’t ready to just push the panic button, they’re prepared to obliterate the thing.

And so another all-points bulletin has been placed by the club in the search for more kicking help, preferably Canadians.

Taman confirmed Friday the team has contacted punter Duncan O’Mahony, recently cut by the Edmonton Eskimos and also claimed the rights to former Bomber Rob Pikula when the Green and Gold dumped him. As well, sources say the Bombers will closely monitor what develops with two Canadian kicking prospects currently in other camps — Sean Whyte, the junior now with the B.C. Lions and Robert Eeuwes, ex of McGill University and now with the Toronto Argonauts. Both are facing uphill battles with Whyte pushing veteran Paul McCallum and Eeuwes a long shot to unseat Mike Vanderjagt.

As it stands, of the current challengers University of Miami prospect Brian Monroe will get the next look after Alexis Serna struggled with punting but did not attempt a field goal in Hamilton. Westwood finished with a solid punting average (51.0) but put two into the end zone for singles and missed his lone field-goal attempt.

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