PAUL Crarey is relishing the prospect of getting stuck into the Kingstone Press Championship's top teams when the 2018 season gets underway next February.

The Raiders squad reported back for pre-season training this morning and could hardly have asked for a tougher start after being handed a trip to London Broncos, followed by Toronto Wolfpack and Leigh Centurions at home.

But head coach Crarey is not shying away from the challenge and is cautiously optimistic the wintry conditions of Barrow in February can help even the playing field against the full-time sides.

"That’s when we’re going to play these sides and I’d rather have Toronto at home on a cold, winter’s day than in the middle of summer when the ground is quick and they’ve got some personnel who can hurt you," said Crarey.

"We might take some juice out of them with the weather, but they’re going to be at the top. They’ll be looking to be in the top two or three and we’ve budgeted to be probably around the bottom four.

"So we’ve got to understand that, and it will be a great experience for our fans to come and watch some great players who are just below Super League."

Crarey's own playing days saw him part of a Barrow team facing the top teams in the country in the old Stones Bitter Championship, including the 1989/90 season where they lost all but one game.

Even so, he enjoyed pitting himself against the best players and wants the current Raiders team to savour every moment too.

"Life is about testing yourself and in 50 years’ time, most of us will be gone and probably nobody will remember us, so we might as well have a go and say we’ve done it," said Crarey.

"We played in the highest division when we played and it was a fantastic experience.

"Even though we didn’t win many games, the games were more exciting, harder, you can have a look at your squad and for some of the players in our squad, it won’t be for them and they’ll find that out.

"But they’re putting their hand up to have a go at it and we’re giving them the opportunity."