COMETH the day cometh the hour, tomorrow at around 5pm Barrow Raiders will know if they stay in the Championship for next season or face a play-off with League One’s play off winners.
Raiders take on Widnes Vikings where a win will keep them in the second tier and send Swinton Lions into the play-off encounter.
Swinton face a tough hurdle at third-place Bradford.
Barrow take on a Widnes side that are challenging for a top-six place and a spot in the play-offs.
They are currently in seventh position on 27 points, while fourth (York), fifth (Featherstone) and sixth (Sheffield) are all on 28 points.
Most importantly York are home to Featherstone, while Shefield go to relegated Dewsbury.
On a bright note, following last week’s defeat at leaders Wakefield (46-0), Barrow welcome back Tom Walker, Andrew Bulman, Luke Broadbent, Ellis Gillam, Ryan Johnston and Charlie Emslie.
Greg Worthington’s season is over after he picked up a four-match ban following his sending off against Whitehaven.
Also set to miss this important game is second row forward James Greenwood, who has a calf injury and long term injured Ramon Silva.
Head coach Paul Crarey has a positive head on as he goes into the game.
He said: “We have our top players back, they were carrying slight knocks last week and we weren’t going to risk them.
“Tomorrow is what it's all about and I believe in these lads to get the job done.
“Supporters have to remember that we have so many local players in our squad, how many other clubs can say that?
“Just look at Luke Broadbent he came as a full-back, but moved into the three quarters and made his mark as a centre.
“Last week we played three local Amateurs, young lads like Max Anderson-Moore and Finn Dutton-Rosconie from Barrow Island, along with Connor Terrill from Millom, plus Last year’s Furness Raiders star Finn McMillan.
“They did me proud against a star-studded Wakefield side. When you look at the score at Wakefield it was 24-0 in the first half and 22-0 in the second half with a depleted side.
“When we played them at home with a strong team it was 36-0 those lads put their bodies on the line.
“Delaine-Gittens Bedward who came to us late in the season had a sound game making 37 tackles and keeps his place in the squad.
“We have to have travellers in the squad and they all gel in with the local lads, the team spirit is second to none.
“We have to get over this hurdle and no doubt all around the ground will be keeping in touch with the Bradford Swinton game.”
Widnes went down 18-12 at home against Toulouse last week after leading 12-0 at the break.
When Barrow met Widnes away on the opening day of the season, the home side won 44-8.
Widnes are likely to have two players familiar to Barrow fans in their squad former Raider prop forward Sam Brooks and Wigan’s winger Reagan Sumners who is on loan at the Vikings, having previously had a temporary spell at Raiders.
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