Barrow Raiders face the toughest test of their season so far with a trip to London Broncos on Sunday.
It’s the preliminary round of the 1895 Cup and in some ways will be a free-hit for the South Cumbrians who have suffered only one defeat so far, at Sheffield.
Barrow have several players unavailable and will take a 20-strong squad to the capital, including young centre Seth Woodend who has been recalled from a loan spell with Whitehaven.
Woodend scored two nice tries in his two appearances for Whitehaven and will get the chance to shine against the side coach Paul Crarey regards as the best in the competition.
“They;’ve a few missing, the same as we have and we are looking forward to taking them on.
“We had been looking at travelling on the day but thanks o the generosity of people across the rugby league fraternity money has been donated so that we can go down on Saturday, stay in a hotel and relax before the game,” said Crarey.
There is just one change from last weekend’s victory away at Dewsbury, with forward Greg Richards returning from his two-match suspension to replace Shane Toal.
The Broncos have quite a lengthy list of casualties at the moment although Lewis Bienek and Jeremiah Simbiken are fit to return this weekend.
Among those missing are Jimmy Meadows and Connor O’Beirne who failed head assessments after last Sunday’s game.
Barrow squad: Archer, Bishop, Broadbent, Bullock, Costello, Cresswell, Doolan, Emslie, Johnston, King, Knott, Richards, Ritson, Robson, Ruddy, Teare, B Walker, Watson, Wood, Woodend.
Broncos: Bienek, Bitungane, Croft, Davidson, Davis, Hartley, Havili, Hursey-Hord, Kapinias, Lovell, Porter, Ramsden, Simbiken, Smith, Stock, Tchamambe, Tindall, Voro, Walker, Wallis, Webster-Mansfield.
