PAUL Crarey is delighted to welcome Jarrad Stack back into Barrow Raiders’ squad for their first match of the Betfred Championship season tomorrow.

Stack missed the end of the 2018 season due to a knee injury and has not played in any of Barrow’s pre-season friendlies to ensure he is fully fit for the trip to Batley Bulldogs.

Despite missing a significant portion of last year, the Australian second row only finished narrowly behind compatriot Alec Susino in the points table Crarey and his staff keep to decide the coach’s player of the season prize.

And while the Raiders head coach is wary of giving him too much of a workload straight off the bat, he is pleased to have Stack available again.

“He’s a great player,” said Crarey. “He was brilliant last year in the Championship and it’s taken his game to the next level.

“We’ve got to manage Jarrad’s minutes, so we probably won’t be at our best at the start of the year like we were last year.

“But with the players and quality we have got, when they start gelling we will become more competitive and as the grounds get harder.

“We’re set up for the season as long as we can get bodies back.”

Fellow back row Dan Toal and vice-captain Nathan Mossop are close to a return from injury too, but Glenn Riley has picked up a suspected torn hip flexor in training.

With Bradd Crellin sidelined due to an injection on a shoulder problem, plus Gareth Hock, Shane Toal and Luke Cresswell long-term absentees, Barrow are down to a 19-man squad to choose from for Batley, ut Crarey still sees plenty of strength there.

“Glenn and Tom Walker were outstanding in the last two games against Whitehaven and Wigan, so it’s a massive blow (to be without Riley) for the start of the year,” said Crarey.

“We’ve just got to manage our troops and try to get the squad competitive every week, but I think we’ve got a competitive squad even though it’s only light.”