DECLAN Hulme is aiming high after agreeing to join Barrow Raiders ahead of the 2017 Kingstone Press League One season.

The versatile three-quarter moves from Cumbrian rivals Workington Town, having started his career with Super League outfit Widnes Vikings, and had loan spells with North Wales Crusaders and Whitehaven.

Hulme makes no secret of his desire to ply his trade above the third tier of rugby league in this country, but he is determined to do that with his new club and help them go one step further after missing out on promotion via the play-offs this year.

“I've still got really high ambitions for rugby,” said Hulme. “I'm only 23 and I want to be playing at the highest level I possibly can.

“I just want to knuckle down with my rugby now. I think Barrow are going to be able to give me the opportunity to concentrate on my rugby and, speaking to the coaches from the outset, it seems to be a very professional environment.

“I want to help get Barrow into that Championship. I'm not looking anywhere else and I know my ambitions are high, but I'm not looking to perform to go somewhere else.

“I'm looking to bring Barrow back into the Championship and hopefully cement that spot there during the time I have signed my contract there.”

Hulme is the second player to make the switch to Craven Park following Workington's relegation from the Championship, with Australian second row Jarrad Stack having already done likewise.

He remains grateful to Town for giving him an opportunity after leaving Widnes, having previously been dual-registered with the club, but was swayed to join Raiders after being impressed with the plans laid out by joint-director of rugby Andy Gaffney and what he heard from speaking to other players.

“Obviously, seeing what Barrow have done over the last couple of years with their rebuilding, I looked at the quality of players they are bringing in and thought it was a step in the right direction of where I want to go in my career,” said Hulme.

“You obviously speak to the lads around you and different players have different associations with other lads. Even though they're at one club, they might have an association with somewhere else and they speak really highly of Barrow at the moment.

“The environment the team are building at Barrow is one of a really close-knit squad, and I like that kind of close-knit environment when you go into a team you have never been with before. That kind of eased the decision for me.”

It has been a busy time for Hulme off the field as well, having just completed a sports science degree which he started studying for on a part-time basis while at Widnes.

The St Helens-born back is now looking into studying for a PGCE which will allow him to go into teaching, so he is pleased he will be able to share the driving responsibilities with some of his new team-mates who live in the same area rather than having to drive up by himself all of the time.

“I've been told there's a minibus we can jump on to go to Barrow, so it takes a lot off when you're not having to finish work and then drive up two-and-a-half hours to training,” said Hulme.

“You can just jump into the back of a minibus, one person drives each week and you can have a bit of a snooze before training!”

Not that there is any danger of him slacking off when he reports for pre-season training though, with Hulme raring to get going in his new surroundings.

“Playing for Widnes, I know what a difficult pre-season is like,” said Hulme, adding: “I can't wait to get going, and show the coaching staff and everyone at Barrow what I can do.”