TOM Loxam has been offered the chance to stay with Barrow Raiders after impressing during his trial spell.

The former Royal Marine joined the Raiders in the early weeks of pre-season training and featured in all four of the matches against professional opposition, scoring a try in the 48-14 win over Keighley Cougars.

Loxam, who can play either at centre or on the wing, did enough during that time to earn himself a contract and, with Max Wiper facing a long recovery after surgery on a knee injury, the opportunity is there for the former Royal Navy player.

“We've spoken to him and said we'd like to keep him with us, as a project really,” said head coach Paul Crarey. “He's a little bit raw, but we've only got (Andy) Litherland and Declan Hulme in the centres at the moment while Max is recovering, so it's down to whether Tom wants to.

“He's going to sit down with the club and cut a deal with them, with an opportunity to progress. I sat him down and said 'we want to keep you', and he was over the moon, so it's whether he wants to for the money offered to him, or whatever he wants to do.

“There is an offer there on the table, I think he's going to bring his father down to have a talk to the club and see where he's at, but we've given him the opportunity to train and play with us.”

Ethan Kelly will be able to continue training with Barrow once a week as well after spending pre-season with the club and featuring in their friendly matches as well, having initially impressed in Liam Harrison's testimonial against Scotland last October.

Crarey is mindful of not putting any pressure on the prop, who will continue to play for amateur club Millom in National Conference League Division Two this year, and is happy to wait until he is ready to sign professional forms.

Raiders are well-stocked in the front row too, with Ollie Wilkes, Joe Bullock, Tom Walker, Brad Brennan and Andrew Dawson all vying for places, so Crarey is mindful of taking players out of the amateur game without there being sufficient opportunities for game-time.

“Ethan is going to go back to play with with Millom and train with us once a week, and he's going to be given the same opportunity as Luke Cresswell, Matty Holmes, Danny Morrow – people like that,” said Crarey.

“Because he's a local kid, we want the transition to be smooth for him and when he's ready to do that. Again, it's progression for Ethan to come down and train once a week, but we don't want to ruin the amateur game and take him away from his club if he's not going to play.

“We've got strong middles and he understands that, and he's happy to do that and really enjoyed his time. That will continue in the development phase that we have put in place.”