Barrow Raiders head coach Paul Crarey is hoping he’ll have more forwards to choose from by the time Sunday’s vital match at Swinton Lions comes around.

Crarey was forced to make several changes to his pack for the 24-8 home defeat against Leigh Centurions last Sunday with injuries, as well as the departure of prop Josh Johnson to Salford Red Devils, forcing his hand.

Not being able to select the likes of Jono Smith, Danny Morrow and Dan Toal meant that Barrow’s forwards lacked oomph, which meant they struggled to gain enough ground when trying to force their way back into the game.

Crarey said: “Danny Toal had a knee problem, Jono Smith has got an ankle strain from last week [at Dewsbury] and Josh Johnson has gone, so we missed three there, while Danny Morrow rolled his ankle at training.

“That’s four from last week and we were probably shot on forwards, so we’ll have to see how they rock up and whether they’ll be fit to return I won’t know until I’ve spoke to the physio.

“If the ground’s rock hard, that makes it difficult with strains and ankle injuries, so if they’re fit to play and they blow up after five or ten minutes, then you’ve lost a player.

“We want to go to Swinton with the fittest side we possibly can and try and get the result we need.”

Crarey thinks it is unlikely that Barrow will be bringing anyone in to replace Johnson, despite Super League club Catalans Dragons offering to help.

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to bring anybody in, with the finances at this club. I think we might have to go with what we’ve got.

“There is an opportunity for a French prop, but it’s flights, houses and money to bring him over and we haven’t got that.”