Barrow Raiders Ladies head coach Amanda Wilkinson is under no illusions as to what lies ahead for her squad in their debut Super League season.
She says the players need to attack the new season with the right mindset as they prepare to start this week-end with a huge test in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup.
In fact it couldn’t be tougher as they face reigning champions St Helens, who secured a historic treble in 2021 by winning the Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ trophy and Betfred Super League title.
It will also mark a first competitive game in charge of the team for Wilkinson, who joined the club late last year.
She said: “I’m looking forward to getting started in the Challenge Cup. What better way to start your season than against last year’s treble winners?
“It’s great for the town and the ladies game. St Helens have 12 international players in the squad, so it’s definitely going to be a challenge.
“They are an established team and will be coming into this game confident and prepared, but we will prepare well too. I think the key for us in the game is to focus on us and our strengths.
“We have some smart players, and as a team we have shown we can play and test teams. Now it is all about making sure we equip the players with confidence to perform, and with the right mindset and desire to be the best they can be.”
The Raiders Ladies have played two pre-season friendlies ahead of their competitive return to action; an 18-14 victory over the UK Armed Forces and a 22-6 defeat at Huddersfield Giants Women. However, their friendly against Dewsbury Moor was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.
Wilkinson is pleased with how pre-season has unfolded, and admits she has learned a lot about her new squad.
“It’s been a great few weeks gelling as a team. Being a new coaching team too, it’s been all about getting to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
“There’s been lots of preparation and discussions, but it’s all very exciting and is something I really enjoy as a coach.
“The players have been really receptive to the changes, the intensity at training, and how we plan to play.
“In our friendlies I’ve been impressed with the performances. They have shown they can execute and do the hard work when needed, but we are not where we want to be just yet.”
The BBC is showing the game at Barrow (ko 2pm) on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
