Barrow Raiders have been left looking for another centre just three weeks before the start of the 2020 season after finding out Stargroth Amean will not be returning.

The Papua New Guinea international told the club last weekend that family issues back home would prevent him from flying back to England, which he was due to do this week, for his second campaign at Craven Park.

His loss represents a significant blow at such an advanced stage of preparing for the new season, and not just because Amean was set to be a key player in what Barrow are hoping is a push for promotion back to the Betfred Championship.

The 28-year-old departs having scored 11 tries in 25 appearances during the 2019 season, in which he acclimatised on the wing before demonstrating himself to be a devastating runner through the middle.

Head coach Paul Crarey: "It was like a bombshell - we'd had him booked on a flight, that was all paid for and we'd been paying him his wages since his new contract started.

"He's then told us that he's got family issues and can't come, so that's a massive financial blow to the club, as well us missing out on a good player.

"Maybe it could have been sorted out in December, but it's rumbled on until now and we're pretty gutted about it because we haven't looked for anybody else, we're three weeks before our first competitive game and it's left us short of one of our main strike players.

"But when one door shuts, another opens for somebody else. It gives somebody else an opportunity and now we're looking - we actually spoke to an agent in Australia and we're just waiting for an answer on a kid that's been over here and played Super League."

Crarey believes that some of the amateur players currently training with the Raiders are capable of stepping into the breach, but would prefer to bring in someone experienced, particularly as he is already short of centres after Martin Aspinwall's retirement.

"I know this agent very well and he's been in touch with this lad that is maybe an option to bring in as cover for Star," Crarey said.

"He's a good player and it will be very good if we get him, but it's all short notice and whether we get him I don't know, but we've got three weeks until the start of the season and with the squad going down from 22 to 21, it makes it difficult.

"We're still looking for a middle as well and it's just a battle to get players in,

"I went to watch Whitehaven v Workington and I was talking to the directors at Workington and Gary Charlton, who's my mate as well, and it's just so difficult now to get players in with Reserve Grade coming back in and the money in south Lancashire."