GIVEN he is just 24, it is easy to imagine some of the youngsters Joe Bullock has been coaching could well be lining up alongside him for Barrow Raiders in the not-too- distant future.

As well as leading Raiders’ community work alongside team-mates Brett Carter and Tom Walker, the prop has been overseeing the progress of the club’s elite under-16s squad and steering the Super Lotto Development Programme for the past five weeks.

Bullock laughs when he considers the possibility some of those teenagers will be pulling on a Barrow shirt with him one day, although it is something he believes is a realistic possibility.

“It’s easy to see them slotting in there in the future, but it’s quite strange to see some of them in school who might be playing with you in a few year’s time,” said Bullock.

“But that’s what you want; you want to see them progress and push into the first team.

“We’ve set up a good thing that has been building for quite a few years now. We’ve got the under-16s and the under-19s leading into the first team, and we’re trying to get a reserves side set up.

“Hopefully we’ve got a nice pathway now and these kids from under-12s, with the development camps and what we see in the schools, can progress to the under-16s from school and then push onwards, hopefully into the first team.”

Bullock taking responsibility for delivering this year’s five-week development programme is a sign of how much he has become involved off the field since moving to Craven Park.

Indeed, he is in line to step up and take charge of the Furness Raiders under-19s team when the College Rugby League season gets under way in the autumn.

That is due to current academy head coach Darren Carter taking a step back from looking after the team due to work commitments, and Bullock is relishing the prospect of expanding his coaching role.

“It’s been a great couple of years for me since I’ve come down. It’s something we’re building as a club and I’m thankful for the opportunity,” said Bullock.

“I enjoy what I’m doing in the schools and then coming down to coach with the kids is excellent.

“I’ve enjoyed doing the 16s this year. It was a challenge for me in my coaching because it’s different looking at a coaching perspective from a playing perspective.

“It’s quite a challenge, but I enjoyed it and the under-19s will be another step up, but if I go up to that I think I’ll enjoy it.”

Bullock already has a good idea of what many of those players can do, with older members of the current elite under-16s squad in line to step up for the 2017/18 season, and some of the Furness Raiders side having trained with Barrow’s senior squad.

The other first-team players and head coach Paul Crarey have been helping out at the development venings as well, giving the youngsters the opportunity learn from those involved in the professional game.

One of the key tenets of Crarey’s youth development plans has been to ensure the Raiders do all they can to help keep the amateur game in the area strong and Bullock is well-aware of the importance of that.

“The most important thing is we’re keeping the community links,” said Bullock. “All of the coaches with us are local coaches associated with every club around the town, and it’s all about them.

“It’s about building the rugby talent in the town, not just for Barrow Raiders.

“We’re the professional team in the town these kids are going to go to, but we need to create a strong community and a strong base, which is going to make us even better.”

St Helens loose forward and former Barrow Island junior Morgan Knowles has been named in Wales’ 38-man train-on squad for this year’s Rugby League World Cup.