EVERY week during the rugby league season, a handful of Lancashire-based players climb onto a minibus and make the two-hour trip north to Barrow and back several times a week.

At least two of these trips will be midweek training sessions, heading straight from work in some cases and arriving home late before getting up early the following morning.

Unlike Kingstone Press Championship rivals such as Dewsbury Rams and Batley Bulldogs – clubs from similar-sized towns with comparable attendances – Barrow Raiders are very much on the periphery of the sport’s heartland.

But the likes of Jamie Dallimore, Ryan Fieldhouse, Karl Ashall and others are always there, putting in the work and playing an important part in the Raiders’ success, muc h to the delight of head coach Paul Crarey.

“Me and (team manager) Dave Kendall spoke the other day and we have got a great group of travelling players – you probably wouldn’t get a better group of travelling players than we’ve had,” said Crarey.

“Around Dewsbury, Batley, players float around from clubs and the Super League clubs, the wages are lower because there are that many players knocking around, there is a good amateur scene around there, and we’re out on a limb, so we’ve got to treat our players well.

“We end up paying a bit more because of the distance, but we’ve had some great travellers and some of the players who are playing for us, their friends who are out of contract at other clubs have asked to come to us, so we’ve had a look at them and we’re selective in what we do.”

Crarey is determined to keep faith with as many of the players who got the team promoted from League One as possible as a reward for their efforts over recent seasons.

And having earned their place in the Championship and the chance to test themselves against teams and players at that level, Crarey has faith the squad can stay up in 2018.

“The worst thing that can happen is they don’t, but we’ve got a group of lads who have given their all for the club and they will continue doing that,” said Crarey.