Anton Iaria insists Barrow Raiders will enjoy the challenge of going even further in 2023 after a successful return to the Betfred Championship.
Iaria and the Raiders exceeded expectations to finish the 2022 regular season in fourth place.
The Raiders went on to be crowned Club of the Year at the recent Betfred Championship and League 1 Awards.
“I think we flew under the radar a little bit and shocked a lot of people throughout the year,” Iaria admitted.
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“We’ve put ourselves on the map now, so there’ll be no more of that now. Everyone will probably have a target on us, wanting to get a bit of revenge, but we’ll welcome that.
“We want to finish in the top four again and push even further.”
During his debut season in Cumbria, Iaria made 31 appearances in total, scoring six tries.
His performances also led to a call-up by Italy ahead of the recent Rugby League World Cup.
The 26-year-old started all three group stage matches for his national team and says it was an experience to remember.
“It was the highlight of my career, to be honest,” Iaria added.
“It was the most fun I’ve had playing rugby league. I learnt and grew so much from the competition.
“Hopefully I can bring a bit of that experience back with me next season.”
Iaria quickly developed into a leader in the Raiders pack, producing a number of consistent performances over the course of the season.
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His displays have been recognised by team-mates, coaches and supporters alike, but Iaria, who recently extended his stay at the club for a further year, insists he has only played a small part in the club’s success.
“I just tried to do my job as best as possible,” he said.
“Cresta [Paul Crarey] makes it really easy for us to do our individual roles, and when we manage to do that, we’ve connected really well.
“We all hold each other accountable and want the best versions of each other, so it’s really easy to play in a team like this. I’ve enjoyed myself hugely.”
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