A FEW of Barrow's Championship rivals have already played friendly matches, with some interesting outcomes.

Batley Bulldogs earned a sixth successive Boxing Day derby win as they defeated Dewsbury Rams 28-16.

Featherstone Rovers came from 16-10 down at half-time to beat local rivals, Super League Castleford Tigers 32-16 away from home. The Tigers had 14 first-teamers missing, and it was the club’s first hit out since their Grand Final defeat.

Rovers scored 22 unanswered points in the second half and this sends a strong signal to the competition that they are much-improved on last season.

Coach John Duffy has recruited well this season, which includes the marquee signings of Martin Ridyard, from Leigh, and Ash Handley, from Leeds Rhinos.

They join Jason Walton, who had a very short loan spell with Barrow, Keal Carlisle, who played a few games for Barrow several seasons ago when he was a young talent with Huddersfield, and Misi Taulipapa, the Sheffield Eagles try-scoring machine.

I think Featherstone will be up there in the top four, but will have to go some to finish above relegated Leigh Centurions and newcomers Toronto Wolfpack.

Our first friendly is next Sunday at home to Keighley Cougars, whom we beat five times last season.

Craig Lingard will remain as head coach until the end of 2019.

He joined from Batley Bulldogs ahead of the 2017 season, and during his first year in charge the Cougars finished seventh in League One and bowed out of both the League One Cup and Challenge Cup at the hands of familiar foes Barrow.

On of their notable signings is off the field. Ex-Raiders coach and rugby legend Garry Schofield has joined as club ambassador – returning to the scene of his first-ever try.

Schofield will spearhead Keighley’s commercial and sponsorship drive and aims to bring a “wow factor” to match-days at Cougar Park.

On the field, man-mountain Samir Tahraoui has signed for a second time, after being released from Rochdale Hornets.

The Algerian-born prop returns for a second spell, after spending the second half of 2015 on loan from Bradford Bulls. He should add an extra dimension, but have they got the armoury to finish above Bradford, Whitehaven and Oldham?

We play Oldham and Whitehaven in our other friendlies, so we are well-placed to answer that question.

Our first competitive game back in the Championship is against London Broncos on February 4, when we travel to the Trailfinder Sports Club, in West Ealing.

The Broncos have travelled around a bit in recent times, and the last time we played them in London was at the Harlequins Stoop in 2006. I was there, it was the Challenge Cup fifth round, and we got beat 82-8. The lasting memory was James Finch scoring a 50-yarder.

The Broncos (Harlequins RL at the time) were an established Super league team then, but since the Super Eights were introduced, they lost their status and were relegated to the Championship in 2014, with serious financial problems.

Chairman David Hughes has put a substantial amount of money into the club, and they appear to have turned a corner. They had a very good last season, qualifying for the play-offs under rookie coach – and ex-Raider – Andrew Henderson.

Voted Championship coach-of-the-year, his success attracted much interest and he has since joined Warrington Wolves as assistant coach. Ex-Leeds forward Danny Ward was appointed as his replacement.

A very good squad, which includes Jarrod Sammut, Michael Channing, Elliot Kear and Ben Hellewell awaits Barrow in a month.