Barrow Raiders will be without Luke Broadbent for their 1895 Cup game at Wakefield this weekend.
Broadbent has been handed a four-match ban following his recent red card against Oldham in the Betfred Challenge Cup.
But forward Tom Walker is set for his first piece of serious action since returning to the club and has been named in the 20 for Saturday’s encounter.
Wakefield Trinity, relegated from the Super League, are hot favourites to win the 1895 Cup and also the Championship, so Barrow face a stiff test.
Walker said: “I got injured in the first pre-season game but that was the first time I’d played for about eight months. It wasn’t a bad injury but a niggling one and I’ve wanted to get it right because it’s a long season.
“I am really grateful to get the chance back at Barrow and I want to prove out on the field that I can make a difference and bring something positive to the squad.
“It would have been nice to get Wakefield up at Barrow but it will be tough down there. But as a team we want to test ourselves and get as many positive as we can from it before the start of the Championship.”
The Barrow squad is: Max Anderson-Moore, Delaine Bedward, Greg Burke, Max Clarke, Matt Costello, Luke Cresswell, Charlie Emslie, Luke Jackson, Ryan Johnston, Harvey Makin, Finn McMillan, Mike Ogunwole, Ryan Shaw, Rimone Silva, Aaron Smith, Shane Toal, Brad Walker, Tom Walker, Tom Wilkinson, Josh Wood.
Bedward is a 22-year-old forward who is a member of the England Universities squad.
He has had brief experience of senior rugby with Midlands Hurricanes and London Broncos and he has been on trial with the Raiders.
“He’s a young lad who was recommended to us and he’s been training with the squad. We are looking at him to see what we think going forward,” said coach Paul Crarey.
