Paul Crarey believes the Betfred Championship will be brutal in the months ahead but says his Barrow squad can mix it with the best.
Ahead of the opening game at home to Sheffield, Crarey is excited about the prospect of his side playing again at the second tier.
Speaking to the club website he said: “The Championship is a brutal place to be, but we’re at home and we aim to give it our best shot for the fans who were magnificent last year.
“It’s a different ball game. These lads are hardened Championship players who are coming to town, and we’ve got to be ready for them.”
But Crarey is aware his team will need to show plenty of fighting spirit to open up the 2022 season with a victory on home soil.
“I think we’ve worked really hard We’ve got a fine record at home and haven’t been beaten at home for two years.
“All the games we’ve played against Sheffield Eagles] have been really tight, so it’ll be a big test. Hopefully we’ll win that battle upfront and find out what the Championship is like on our return.”
The Raiders won both their pre-season games against Workington Town and Newcastle Thunder, both of them at home.
The victory over Newcastle was particularly impressive, with the Raiders coming from behind at the Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium to score 22 unanswered points against full-time opposition.
On home soil again, Crarey is hoping a vocal support can see his side over the line as they look to open their 2022 league account with two competition points.
“It’s important that everyone gets behind us. I think we’ve sold over 700 season tickets, the most we’ve had for a long time.
“There’s a lot of people talking about the game and how well we played against Newcastle. It’s important that we put on a show for them and give it our best shot.”
