AMANDA WILKINSON’S Barrow Raiders were perhaps the surprise package of Super League in 2024.
Having earned promotion to the competition the previous October, many thought the Cumbrian side would struggle, especially as few, if any, changes were made to the squad.
But instead the Raiders shone and led the way with the bottom four clubs – even competing with the top four teams for large periods of the games against them.
Now the challenge is to avoid second season syndrome and prove last year’s success was no fluke.
But that task has been made all the more difficult with Wilkinson forced into big changes with the departures of as many as six influential first teamers – Jodie Litherland, Michelle Larkin, Demi Fisher, Emma Hutchinson, Sam Norman and Hannah Sherlock.
They went into last season with little expected from them and it will likely be the same again following the changes, but that sense of the unknown could once again work in Wilkinson and Barrow’s favour.
Watch out for… Beth Pattinson has returned to the club following a year off to welcome her second child into the world. She has taken the half back slot left by the now-retired Jodie Litherland so will be in the thick of the action straight away. The last time she played was early in the promotion winning 2023 season before picking up a long-term injury, so she will have to get used to the step up to Super League fairly quickly – especially in such a crucial position. As a Cumbrian through and through, local pride and wanting to see the club succeed will no doubt drive her even more to do her very best out on the field.
Emily Stirzaker says… We’re not focusing on what we’ve lost, we’re focusing on what we’ve gained. We’ve gained a lot. We’ve got Beth Pattinson back in the halves, – she’s such a talented, natural player. We gained Nicole (Stewart) last season and she’ll be massive for us this year. We’ve got Kerrie-Ann Smith stepping into the halves, another young but experienced player. We’ve got Shannon Parker and Chloe Capstick on the edges who are very talented athletes. I think we’ll have a bit more pace about us, like Wigan last year when they brought some young players in and the energy lifted. I hope it’ll be similar for us. It’s sad to see people go, but it’s exciting to see new prospects. Yes, we’re a different team, but you’ve always got to aim high. With hard work and progression, I think we could be as good, if not maybe slightly better.
2025 squad: 1 Vanessa Temple, 2 Shannon Parker, 3 Maddie Neale, 4 Claire Hutchinson, 5 Chloe Capstick, 6 Kerrie-Ann Smith, 7 Beth Pattinson, 8 Kelly Friend, 9 Beth Lindsay, 10 Jodie Morley, 11 Emily Stirzaker, 12 Leah Clough, 13 Nicole Stewart, 14 Mia Dobson, 15 Leah Cottier, 16 Charlotte Todhunter, 17 Laura Mellen, 18 Fran Harley, 19 Amy Sunderland, 20 Lucy Dickinson, 21 Jazz Callon, 22 Jodie Crawford, 24 Becca Harley
Rugby League World predicts: 7th
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 508 (May 2025)
