PAUL Crarey has thrown out an invitation to giant packman Will Maher to come to Barrow.

The Raiders coach had a good view of the former Ulverston junior when he turned out for Oxford, as part of a dual-registration arrangement with his parent club Castleford Tigers, at the weekend.

Although Maher’s side were on the wrong end of a 76-12 drubbing, Crarey was impressed by what he saw of the towering forward.

Crarey believes experienced players at the Craven Park club could help in his development should he ever become available and want to team up with Barrow.

“We would certainly like him at this club if there was any way of getting here,” said Crarey of Maher, currently on a four-year deal with Super League Cas.

“He looked a class apart from the rest of his team-mates and did really well.

“I think he would develop with (Oliver) Wilkes, (Liam) Harrison and (Martin) Aspinwall and people like that and get himself a chance to progress.”

Maher became the first person to graduate from the RFL Regional Academy programme to sign a professional deal in 2013 when he joined Cas and he later earned a huge four-year extension with the club.

The 6ft 5ins forward came up through the junior ranks at Ulverston and was part of the Cumbria Academy set-up before moving to West Yorkshire.

Carey is keen to attract Cumbrian talent to Craven Park, and added: “I would like to see all the local lads come back to Barrow.

“I know that it is not going to happen because some of them are regular first-teamers in Super League and good luck to them, but it’s the lads who are going to be fringe players and finding their feet.”

Referring to the result against Oxford, whom Maher represented, Crarey added: “Is 76-12 going to do them any good, standing behind the posts?

“To me he is a local lad who has progressed through the (Cumbria) Storm and gone down to Castleford and is playing now for Oxford.

“For me it’s about a local kid playing for his local club and having pride in his local shirt. Danny Morrow has got pride and Matty Holmes, Matty While and Andy Litherland and all of those kids that are playing for us are really chuffed to be out there.”

When asked if he would like to bring Maher to Barrow, Crarey added: “That’s not up to me, it is up to Castleford, he is probably on a long-term deal, but we will keep our eye on him like all the kids from here.

“We have got our eye on everybody and if nothing goes right for them or they slip off the radar a little bit for their clubs we will certainly bring them back to here and breathe a little bit more life in them and try and get them out on the paddock for Barrow because, and I keep saying it, that’s the only way Cumbria clubs will survive.”