TWO young guns have committed their futures to Barrow Raiders after signing contracts for 2016.

Ulverston product Joe Hambley and former Whitehaven back Chris Fleming have renewed their commitment to the Craven Park club.

Both enjoyed impressive campaigns this year, Hambley in his first full season with Barrow after making his debut under former coach Bobbie Goulding, in 2014, and Fleming following a move from Australia.

Raiders boss Paul Crarey expects both to continue to improve as the team push for promotion from League One next season, and said: “Joe has done brilliantly. We’ve put him under a little bit of pressure when he has come in and at first he has struggled to make the side.

“We had a talk to him about where we wanted him to improve and he has done that and more.

“At the back end of the year, we picked him for the York game and he was outstanding.

“These young fellas and local lads are long-term projects and we have told them this. It’s about taking their time and maybe getting limited games, learning and developing. Eventually, they become the backbone of the side.

“With the progression Joe has made, he was very unlucky not to be named the Most Improved Player this year, but Shane Toal just pipped him. He did really well this year and I think he can do even better next year.”

On 24-year-old winger or full-back Fleming, who made 16 starts and scored five tries in the 2015 campaign – mostly at full-back – he added: “Chris matured as well.

“He’s probably not a natural full-back, but he did well there for us when Kristian Tyson was injured. He was very strong for us.

“He was desperate to come back for us next year. He didn’t want any more money to come back, he just wanted to stay at the club.

“He had offers from two League One clubs, but he told us if there was any possibility, he would stay here. One of those clubs was right on his doorstep as well.

“He’s a great utility player. He can play at full-back, on the wing, or centre at a push and he is a strong player.

“Last year, it was something we had to go through as a club to find out about the kids we had brought in and who we wanted to keep.

“Chris was probably borderline as to whether we would have kept him early on, but towards the back end of the season he was outstanding and it is really good to have him back.”

Raiders joint-director of rugby Andy Gaffney, who expects more signings to be announced later this week, was also happy to have both Hambley and Fleming back at Craven Park for another season.

He said: “It’s great news to have them both back.

“Joe’s skills have really improved since he has been here. He’s a big lad and he’s confident when he’s coming up the middle and taking the ball.

“Chris was eager to come back to us. He’s a good utility player.”

Hambley made eight appearances for Barrow this year – including five starts – building on the four starts he made in 2014 after his move from amateur side Ulverston.

At only 19, the young centre has potential to improve over the coming seasons, though Crarey has already seen a big difference in him during the 12 months he has been under his charge.

“There are definitely differences in him now to how he was a year ago,” said the Barrow coach.

“Joe’s attitude is great, but he maybe just needed to be a bit tougher coming out of the Academy environment. When you get to the harsh reality of first-team football everything is not always great – we’ve got to get them out of that mindset.

“He’s got the gist of what we are trying to do and what he is trying to do and he was outstanding towards the back end of this year.”