Barrow Raiders boss still keen on bringing back reserves

Head coach Crarey has made no secret of his desire to enter a team into the reserve competition, seeing it as the final link in the Raiders’ development programme from under-16s to the senior side.

The club’s board are fully behind the plan too, but although Barrow registered an interest in joining the league for next year, the financial demands proved too great this time.

“We were so close to doing it and we expressed an interest in it this year,” said Crarey.

“There was an email saying there would be 10 to 15 games and can we commit to that?

“But we don’t want to commit to it if we can’t financially fulfil our obligations and it would be detrimental to us staying in the Championship.

“We have talked about it and I know a lot of the board are keen for it to happen, so if it did we’d have a development programme up to 16, then an elite 16s programme, under-19s programme and reserve grade.”

With the Raiders already starting to see the benefits of their youth development programme, Crarey is keen to allow their younger players to progress at their own pace in open age rugby, rather than be thrown straight into the cauldron of the Kingstone Press Championship.

A reserve side would give the likes of half-back prospect Ryan Johnston a chance to learn their trade against the second strings of Super League sides, among others.

There is also the benefit of being able to use the reserves to give game-time to first-team players who are not starting regularly or returning from injury.

“It’s a thing of mine while I’m here to see that come into place and I’ve probably done my job then,” said Crarey.

“I want to see it, but it probably won’t be this year in terms of finances and money that is going into the playing squad to hopefully keep the side up in the Championship.

“If we do stay up this year, that will generate more interest and probably more sponsors if we finish outside the bottom two.”