Barrow and Whitehaven go head-to-head in Sunday’s Championship derby with defeat out of the question for both teams.
Both are still in a relegation battle and the losers tomorrow will be in real trouble with only two games left to play after that.
Barrow do have a point in hand over Whitehaven and Swinton in the battle to avoid the drop alongside already-relegated Dewsbury.
There’s also the little matter of a play-off game for the team that finishes third bottom against the eventual winners of the League One play-offs – more than likely to be Keighley Cougars on known form.
Whitehaven won the original clash at the Ortus REC Stadium 23-22 to a late drop goal but a lot has happened since then – notably a new financial crisis, the departure of coach Jonty Gorley and the appointment of local former Super League star Kyle Amor.
Ahead of the game Amor said: “I have 17 players again and they know that time has run out. We have to deliver over these last three games.
“I told them to forget all about the last two games, defeats against York and Wakefield, because the brutal truth is they had far too much quality for us.
“But the last three games give us a chance of picking up points, just as we did with that terrific win at Dewsbury.
“We have had a good week preparing and on Thursday we went up to Wath Brown for an opposed session with the Hornets which was very good. It was different and I think will have served a purpose.”
Paul Crarey, the Barrow coach, said: “It’s a big game for both clubs and in a derby all form goes out of the window but generally the best team wins on the day.
“We have a one-point lead over them and it will be absolutely massive if we can make that three at the end of the game.
“We’ve had our ding dong games with Whitehaven over the last few times we’ve met and this one is going to be massive, and one in which I think our crowd can play a big part as they have done all season.”
As far as Barrow’s 21-strong squad is concerned Ryan Brown returns in the absence of Charlie Emslie and that’s the only change from the players who were on duty against Toulouse last week-end.
The squad is: Luke Broadbent, Tryan Brown, Andrew Bulman, Greg Burke, Brett Carter, Max Clarke, Luke Cresswell, Ellis Gillam, Delaine Gittens-Bedward, James Greenwood, Ryan Johnston, Jamie Pye, Ryan Shaw, Aaron Smith, Jarrad Stack, Shane Toal, Brad Walker, Tom Walker, Tom Wilkinson, Josh Wood, Greg Worthington.
Whitehaven’s 17 is: Sam Ackroyd, Ross Ainley, Jake Carter, Lucas Castle, Rio Corkill, Will Evans, Edene Gebbie, Lachlan Hanneghan, Bobby Hartley, Noah High, Ryan King, Owen McCarron, James Newton, Joey Romeo, Callum Shaw, Curtis Teare, Mac Walsh, Huw Worthington.
