BARROW skipper Jarrad Stack makes a welcome return to the squad for the important clash with high riding Featherstone Rovers at the Northern Competition Stadium kick off 3pm.

Stack will boost the ranks along with fellow forwards, Harvey Makin, Kavan Rothwell, Tom Walker, Tom Wilkinson and James Greenwood who all missed the defeat in Toulouse last Saturday.

Barrow put up a great first-half performance in France, leading 16-4 at one stage before the full-time professionals took a firm grip of matters to register a 38-16 victory.

Harvey Makin is back in the fold after a stint at Super-League with London Broncos and is joined by fellow on loan Wigan team-mates Ralph Brown and Jacob Douglas who both played in Toulouse.

Coach Paul Crarey is delighted to say the least with the return of several key players.

He said: “Fantastic news all round to have so many forwards back available.

“We went to France with such an inexperienced set of forwards for one reason or another and are pleased to have Jarrad (Stack) back from Australia, and also Harvey (Makin) following his stint with London.

“There is no disrespect to the lads who went to France who lacked Championship experience, and against a quality team like Featherstone you need experience.

“We are looking healthier this week.

“Young Wigan winger Jacob Douglas has pace to burn and reminds me a lot of Tee Ritson, give him space and he is away.”

“Featherstone are a top Championship side albeit they have lost many of their star players from last year.

“Whitehaven and Batley ran them close as did Widnes, but they are still a strong outfit.

Set to make his Rovers debut is former Castleford star winger Greg Eden recruited from Halifax this week.

He joins another ex “Cass” player Greg Minican.

It will be a big occasion for Crarey and the team tomorrow for what the club say is a history and heritage day with so many ex players coming into Town.

None more so than Tommy Smales, the former Barrow player who left to join Rovers and had a big say in their 17-12 Cup final win in 1967 against Barrow at the Old Wembley Stadium.

Tommy remained great friends with ex-Barrow team-mate Mick Ducie, and they will be linking up once more.

Also from the 1967 squad is Tommy Dawes who spent several years with the Shipbuilders as they were then known.

Tommy missed out in the final in the full-back position to Eddie Tees.

Dawes will lead the 1983 Lancashire Cup winners squad onto the pitch, he was the successful coach as Barrow defeated the red hot favourites at Wigan’s Central Park.

Expected to make the journey up to Barrow are skipper on the day Alan Hodgkinson, Ian Ball, Steve Tickle and possibly Mark McJennett, Les Wall and Steve Herbert along with several local favourites.

Colin Tyrer the goal-kicking full-back (Ex Wigan) is expected to appear. He was skipper when Barrow won the Second Division championship in the 1975-76 season.

Another favourite set to attend  is Stewart Williams formerly of Salford.