JAMIE Dallimore has become the first player to put pen to paper on a contract for Barrow Raiders which will keep him at Craven Park for another two years.

The stand-off is one of the members of the Raiders squad whose current deal is due to expire at the end of the 2018 Betfred Championship season.

However, the club confirmed yesterday afternoon Dallimore has signed on for next year, with skipper Martin Aspinwall, and young prospects Matty While and Luke Cresswell already under contract for 2019.

The news comes as a huge boost to the Raiders as they begin planning for next year, with the 30-year-old having become a key member of the team since joining them from North Wales Crusaders in 2016.

The playmaker’s goal-kicking has come to the fore this season as well, although kicking duties could soon be handled by half-back partner Lewis Charnock, who is on the verge of returning from a long-term injury.

Charnock had originally been due to make his comeback from a shoulder injury sustained in the season-opener away to London Broncos in the first game of the Championship Shield Super Eights against Rochdale Hornets just under three weeks ago.

However, that was postponed to allow the injury more time to fully heal and, all being well, he should start in the Super Eights game at home to Batley Bulldogs this Sunday.

“Lewis Charnock came through a contact session at training and it’s up to the physio whether he plays,” said Raiders head coach Paul Crarey.

“If he doesn’t, Ryan (Johnston) will carry on and he’s done a great job there for us.”

One other long-term absentee who will not be back is Declan Hulme, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since the win over Rochdale in the Championship regular season back in June.

The centre has been a big miss for the team during his absence and is set to undergo a minor operation on a cyst one he has had further fluid drained from the affected knee.

And while he will miss the visit of Batley, Crarey is optimistic Hulme will be back soon.

“Declan is getting some fluid drained,” said Crarey. “I don’t think it’s going to happen before the Batley game and then he’ll need a slight operation, and then he’ll be fit to go.

“The cyst is restricting movement in his knee, but once it’s sorted that will be fine.

“There’s a risk of infection there and they’ve tried to drain it, but it hasn’t worked and he needs to have an operation. But he’ll more or less be ready to go after it’s done.”