Last updated at 14:36, Wednesday, 20 June 2012

WHOLEHEARTED prop forward Andy Bracek’s unparalleled commitment to the Barrow Raiders cause is symptomatic of an attitude he feels will carry the team to glory.

Bracek backed up 80 minutes for Wales against France on Saturday by playing for close to an hour in Barrow’s 54-24 defeat to Halifax in the Northern Rail Cup quarter-finals.

Coach Darren Holt was full of praise for the player’s efforts in doing so and the former Warrington Wolves Super League man feels his feat is just one example of a team ethic that has Raiders on the road to promotion in Championship One.

“Holty wanted to rest me – he didn’t really want me to play – because we did have people there who could play,” said the prop or second-rower, who has helped Barrow to top the division with nine wins from 10 games. “But I just wanted to put my hand up.

“We all play for each other. We are a close bunch of lads – we are all really good mates, we all live in the same area, we all go out and have a beer together and that’s the main difference between this year and years gone by.

“When games are tight and when we are playing at the end of the season and we have big games, that will definitely shine through.

“That attitude is definitely part of why we are top of the league. With some games, London was one of them, where we were caught off guard, it counts. It’s all right having class in the team, but when you are not playing for each other, it doesn’t matter.

“There’s evidence of that in years gone by – we’ve had all the class in the world in the team and we’ve not got the results.

“This team, we all play for each other and that is paramount – especially in a game like rugby, which is a physical game where you have to knuckle down for each other.”

Bracek was beaten in both games over the weekend – Wales losing 28-16 to France at Wrexham – but felt the result could have gone the other way in either match. He felt a crucial decision not to award a penalty for ripping out when Liam Harrison lost the ball at Halifax, which led to the visitors going to the other end of the field and scoring through Sean Penkywicz, changed the game in the final quarter.

“Against Halifax on Sunday, in the last 15 minutes, a bit of experience probably told on their part,” he said. “I think the turning point was probably when Liam Harrison had the ball stolen and they went down the other end and scored.

“If the referee had called that, it might have been different. After that, they got a roll on. If we had scored there, it would have been a different picture. We played strongly.”

Holt, who had originally thought he would be without Bracek on Sunday – as well as a host of other injured forwards – praised the 25-year-old’s efforts over the weekend.

“Andy must be doing it tough for money at the minute! He mustn’t get paid playing for Wales and he was looking for some more pocket money!” the player/coach joked.

“He has been getting a bit of a ribbing off the boys for it. I can categorically say that if we didn’t have as many injuries as we do, then he wouldn’t have been out there on the park.

“But Andy stumped up, offered up and he came down and did basically 140 minutes of rugby league against two quality sides. He’s a young lad, he keeps himself fit with his business, he’s in good shape and he did a job for us.”

First published at 13:45, Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk