Barrow Raiders captain Jarrad Stack believes his squad can keep building following last week’s 16-12 win over Halifax Panthers.
The Raiders claimed their first Betfred Championship win of 2023 on Sunday, and they will face the Panthers once again in the Betfred Challenge Cup on Sunday.
Ahead of their rematch at the Shay, the 35-year-old says the Raiders need to keep working hard if they want to see more consistency in their results.
Discussing last Sunday’s victory, Stack said: “It’s definitely one that we needed, especially with the players we’ve got and all the training we’ve been doing.
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“I think it’s been a work in progress. We should have had a few results before this, but it’s better now than later, and I think it’s come at the right time.
“We just need to be able to kick on from here and show that we are the team we were last year. We might have lost Hakim [Miloudi] and Tee [Ritson], but we’ve gained in positions that we needed, especially in the forward pack.
“It’s just taken a little while, but hopefully after last weekend it will be a case of kicking on and working for each other.
“Above all, we need to keep building and not dwell on results earlier in the season. The kind of performance we showed against Halifax at the weekend is what we’re about.”
Previewing this weekend’s clash in West Yorkshire, Stack says he is hopeful that the club can extend their previously good record in the Challenge Cup.
They got to the sixth round of the competition last year, before eventually succumbing to Super League side Huddersfield Giants, despite a valiant display.
Paul Crarey’s side also claimed their first competitive win of the year in the Challenge Cup earlier this season, at home to Swinton Lions.
Meanwhile, Halifax reached this stage of the competition after edging Championship leaders Featherstone Rovers in the last round.
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“Everybody knows in this division that they’re not going to win the Challenge Cup final, so it’s more of a free hit,” Stack added.
“Obviously, Halifax are going to be hurting from the weekend, but we’ve done quite well over the years in the Challenge Cup.
“We might go with a few changes and bring in players that haven’t had many games, but any player that comes in is coming in to win.
“The main focus for the squad is the league, but a win at the weekend would be a real bonus for us and helps this momentum grow even more.”
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