Barrow Raiders outside back Matt Costello has signed a new two-year deal, keeping him at the club until at least the end of the 2026 season.
He becomes the second player to sign a two-year extension in the last 10 days, following hooker Josh Wood’s new deal which was announced last week.
Costello joined the Raiders on a permanent basis ahead of the 2024 campaign, having spent the three seasons prior with Betfred Super League side Salford Red Devils.
The former St Helens academy graduate – who enjoyed a brief loan stint at the Raiders in 2022 – has gone on to feature 21 times this year, scoring five tries.
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The 26-year-old has proven to be a much-needed source of big-game experience for Paul Crarey’s side this season. He has also been willing to play in unfamiliar positions over recent months – notably in the halves, as a second-rower and also at loose forward during times of player unavailability.
On his new deal, Costello said: “I am really happy to get a deal done and extend my stay with the Raiders. I’m enjoying my rugby, so it was an easy decision to make.
“The deal got sorted really quickly as I’ve had conversations with the club about re-signing very early on in the year. Barrow are really supportive of my career outside of rugby, so it was a really easy deal to get done.
“This season, our form hasn’t been where we’d have liked, but it’s a new team with a massive turnover of players from last year.
“I’m hoping we can build on this year with some good additions during the winter, and become a really competitive Championship side with the quality we have in our team.”
Barrow Raiders head coach Paul Crarey said: “It’s great news that Matt has agreed to stay for a further two years.
“Matt is another player who has come in from a Super League club and led by example, both on the training pitch and out on the field.
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“His versatility and willingness to play anywhere to help the team succeed is a great example to set for all our players. Matt has been a great leader, and all the coaching staff love working alongside him.”
Director of rugby Andy Gaffney said: “Having someone as knowledgeable and experienced as Matt to help improve our younger players is incredibly important.
“His performances are consistently at a high level and there’s still so much that he can offer us, so we’re delighted that he has committed for another two years.
“Retaining our core group of senior players is a huge boost too. Having him agree to new terms off the back of Josh Wood’s extended deal is a good sign, not just for the rest of this season but for the two years to follow.”
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