Newcastle Thunder v Barrow Raiders Match Preview and Team Squads

   23/04/2026

NEWCASTLE THUNDER will host the Raiders for a game that promises to be one of the matches of the round on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 4.00pm) at Blaydon RFC.

Thunder currently lie in fifth place with 12 points from their nine matches, while the Raiders lie in second place with 16 points, having only suffered one defeat.

Thunder come into this game after defeating Batley Bulldogs in the 1895 Cup and their coach Graham Steadman (pictured above) has named a bare 17-man squad, with Will Roberts returning from Super League duty with York Knights, while Ukuma Ta’ai and Jack Brown drop out.

Barrow were not in action in the 1895 Cup and they come into the game with their coach Paul Crarey recalling forwards Tom Walker and Jarrad Stack, while he also has the option of selecting Wigan loanee Finn McMillan, a former Barrow player, who replaces his fellow Wigan star Harvey Makin in the Raiders’ squad.

SQUADS

Thunder: 2 Andy Djeukessi, 3 Joe Law, 4 Jude Ferreira, 5 Brad Ward, 7 Will Roberts, 8 Bailey Antrobus, 9 Taylor Pemberton, 10 Ryan Jackson, 11 Harvey Reynolds, 12 Noah Whittingham, 15 Brenden Santi, 16 Leo Tennison, 17 King Vuniyayawa, 24 Matty Foster, 27 Jordan Lipp, 30 Tom Inman, 31 Nikau Williams
Outs: 18 Ukuma Ta’ai, 19 Jack Brown,
Ins: 7 Will Roberts,

Raiders: 1 Luke Cresswell, 3 Shane Toal, 4 Curtis Teare, 5 Luke Broadbent, 6 Brad Walker, 7 Ryan Johnston, 9 Josh Wood, 10 Joe Bullock, 11 Ellis Robson, 12 Matthew Costello, 13 Ryan King, 15 Charlie Emslie, 16 Greg Richards, 17 Alex Bishop, 20 Dan Knott, 25 Tee Ritson, 31 Stevie Watson, 32 Ellis Archer,
Out: 19 Seth Woodend, 21 Trent Ruddy, Harvey Makin,
Ins: 8 Tom Walker, 30 Jarrad Stack, Finn McMillan

Referee: Matty Lynn

STATS

Last ten meetings:
Newcastle 36, Barrow 24 (ChR26, 16/9/23)
(at Kingston Park)
Barrow 18, Newcastle 18 (ChR5, 5/3/23)
Newcastle 10, Barrow 62 (ChR25, 27/8/22)
(at Kingston Park)
Barrow 14, Newcastle 6 (ChR3, 13/2/22)
Barrow 60, Newcastle 0 (L1SF, 24/9/17)
Newcastle 28, Barrow 30 (L1S8-R3, 12/8/17)
(at Kingston Park)
Newcastle 6, Barrow 50 (L1R5, 14/4/17)
(at Kingston Park)
Barrow 24, Newcastle 24 (L1R3, 25/3/16)
Barrow 16, Newcastle 4 (L1R12, 27/6/15)
Newcastle 34, Barrow 22 (L1R1, 3/4/15)
(at Kingston Park)

RYAN JOHNSTON needs one appearance to reach 150 for Barrow Raiders.
​- Debut: Hemel Stags (h) (L1) (W82-0) (Scrum half, 2 tries, 11 goals) (25 March, 2017)