A PATCHY performance at London Skolars to say the least with injuries having hit our squad hard.

It is a game we got away with as we compounded disruptive positional changes with a lack of focus.

London Skolars are no mugs with some big athletes in their team that perhaps just lack some rugby nounce. Give them a sniff and they’ll keep coming, which they did until the final whistle.

Pretty much the first thing we did on the long return journey was get a comprehensive injury report. We are severely testing the strength of our squad but Andy Gaffney, our players director, has still had to be non-stop on the phone over the last two weeks trying to strengthen the squad.

All the hard work off the field trying to broaden and increase our income streams will count for little if we fail to get out the division so we have to make every effort to keep the squad strong. For once in mid-season, we are in a strong financial position so that isn’t really the issue, it is simply the availability of players.

We have had dialogue with all Super League clubs this week but many of them are having their own squads tested through losing players to Covid, injuries or the England game. The loan period has been reduced to a minimum of two-week periods but even that isn’t helping availability.

That said, we are still blessed with some real quality in our team. The back three of Luke Cresswell, Shane Toal and Tee Ritson must surely be the best in the league. There is still competition for places in the half-backs with Dallimore, Carter and Johnston battling for two starting spots and the middle is still strong.

Our decimation has probably been most harshly felt in the centre position and it seems that whoever we recruit, the position is jinxed. We have lost Ryan Shaw, Declan Hulme, Hakim Miloudi, Mark Tyson and, whisper it quietly because he doesn’t like playing there, Jarrad Stack. There is a fair bit of talent amongst that quintet.

Workington, Doncaster and Keighley are the next three teams on the horizon and that is second, third and fourth. I’m convinced that we still have enough available talent to come through those games and we still might pull off a surprise signing to add to the mix.

Both Workington and Doncaster seemed to get out of jail at the weekend with tries at the death adding to their points tally. From all reports Workington haven’t been playing that well but with only one defeat in a game where they scored more tries than their opponents, I’m sure they must be happy with their progress.

Their last gasp victory against Rochdale has set-up the perfect Cumbrian derby and I’m sure that our attitude will be spot on this week. The crowds up the coast haven’t set the world on fire, but we have received many ticket bookings, so expect an invasion. The Barrow supporters will also need to play their part. We will be relying on the noise from the crowd to cheer us home.

We will be repeating our offer of free entry before 1pm in a bid to keep our crowds high and with secondary income outstripping the usual ticket sales then it’s a policy worth continuing.

There is the bonus this week of a double header with Barrow Raiders Ladies entertaining Widnes and it will be great for our girls to play in front of a big crowd. There is community activity with Taster Rugby Sessions for 2–5-year-olds from 9.15am and 5-7 year olds from 10.15am and all these children and parents will be encouraged to stay for the main events.

The Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium is the place to be this Sunday.