Barrow Raiders assistant Wright targets Super League. : Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:08 pm  

Barrow Raiders assistant coach Nigel Wright believes the club are geared up for a switch to Super League when the new franchises are awarded in 2012.

Raiders have submitted an application to join European rugby league's elite, having qualified courtesy of their Championship Grand Final win in 2009.

"It where I want to be, and I think it's where this club deserves to be," Wright told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"With the players we've got, there's no reason that cannot be achieved."

Wright added: "Hopefully this year, the franchise system has given us an opportunity to apply, so I'm definitely looking forward to being a Super League coach this time next year."

The former Wakefield and Wigan half-back was forced to retire aged 24 through injury, but has remained involved with the sport through coaching stints with Warrington in Super League and down under at Penrith Panthers in the NRL.

"I live and breathe the game, I love the game, I've missed not been involved for the last eight or nine months, and I'm hungry to be successful," Wright said.

"To be successful you've got to win the matches, points will be scored, points will be conceded, but as long as we get the crowds back, it's an area where they thrive on their rugby league.

"Fast-flowing rugby league is the way forward, and that's what we intend to bring to Barrow."

Schofield brought in Wright as an assistant following his appointment as head coach at Craven Park in November 2010.

Re: Barrow Raiders assistant Wright targets Super League. : Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:31 pm  

Well how can a club claim development status? Have no youth set up to speak of. A club bar smaller than a phonebox. Yes they have a good team, but no other boxes ticked, in my book. Yet

Re: Barrow Raiders assistant Wright targets Super League. : Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:49 pm  

When toilet facilities consist of a wall at the back of the stand the you pi55 against, it's pretty safe to assume they won't be making Super League without many millions being spent on the ground.

Re: Barrow Raiders assistant Wright targets Super League. : Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:21 pm  

one of the worst grounds in the championship.

Re: Barrow Raiders assistant Wright targets Super League. : Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:25 pm  

swifty62 wrote:

one of the worst grounds in the championship.

it is a bad ground but i enjoy my visits there.

Re: Barrow Raiders assistant Wright targets Super League. : Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:08 am  

Cumbria should have a superleague club but will the fans support it? In theory, they have a large area to draw from, but like other rugby league hotbeds they are very parochial.

I don't know about the clubs youth setup, but there is a thriving amateur game so they should be able to tap into that.

The stadium leaves a lot to be desired (what about the floodlights ) and is far from SL standard. We have seen recently that SL seems to be all about stadia, so if someone came up with the cash to build one, then who knows?

I've lost interest with the whole franchise thing, it just seems to be degenerating into farce. I'm all for furthering the boundaries of the game and for helping development clubs, but it just seems that the RFL are prepared to accept collateral damage to further this end.