Tigers must look to edge the tight matches, insists Barrow
SEDGLEY Park Tigers missed out on the title by just four points last season – and head coach Scott Barrow sees themselves as title favourites in National 2 North this year.
Barrow’s side were the division’s top points scorers last season – scoring an incredible 1,112 points in 30 games but fell short to eventual title winners Hull due to losing four games within a onescore margin.
The tough losses, all by seven points or less, illustrate the toughness of the league and Barrow believes other teams in the division will up their game when they face his side.
He said: “A lot of clubs will be wanting to take Sedgley’s scalp because we finished second and nobody came down. So, we’ll likely be the team that everyone goes for as Rotherham found out last year. Technically, we are the best team in the league and we’re ready for the challenge.
“We were close in all the games we lost and were always within one score, so we just need to be a bit tidier in our discipline and know our roles in certain areas.”
Barrow believes there is a positive environment around the club despite the loss of talented scrumhalf Danny Openshaw who has switched careers to coaching at a school in Bath.
Openshaw’s departure has been negated by the signing of Sam Stelmaszek from Macclesfield and Barrow believes the squad is in a good place ahead of Saturday’s opener at home to Otley. “The environment around the squad is really healthy,” he added. “We’ve got some good lads at Sedgley. A lot of the senior lads have been around for years and set the standards every week. Then we’ve got loads of young lads, aged 19-24, who bring a lot of energy and effort to training so it’s a good mix.
“It was sad to see Danny go as he’s been our starting scrum-half for the last three years. We’ve got Sam in who’s played a lot of National League rugby with Sale. He’s fit,
athletic and has embedded in really well. We’ve got Cameron Crampton, Jacob Tansey as well so we’re still really strong in the scrum-half position.
“George Bordill has come from Durham Uni and was playing Super 6 in Scotland last year and had joined us as a back row. He’s a great line out forward and powerful in both attack and defence.
“We’ve signed Adam Mallinson who’s pretty local and has a big job on his hands to push into the hooker position. We’ve also got Danny Maher back fit who is big for us and returns after snapping his Achilles. So, we'’re in a good place squad wise.”
That said, however, Barrow admits he isn’t expecting his team to be at maximum potential from the off due to the numerous arrivals at the club, who haven’t found the time to properly get yet.
“I think it will still be a little bit clunky,” he conceded. “We’ll look to build on what was done in the off season but won’t be anywhere near our best. New partnerships will be coming together and in the pre-season games we haven’t been able to nail all those because of family holidays or work commitments. I expect our effort to be as good as it always is as our effort and application is never in question at Sedgley.”
Martin Jenkinson’s Rotherham Titans finished third last season and look almost certain to be competing towards the top of the table this time round as well.
Rotherham’s pack was particularly impressive last term and Jenkinson will be hoping for another standout season from both second-row Matt Smith and blindside flanker Zakery Poole.
Fylde finished fifth last season and with one of the best squads on paper in the division, joint head coaches Chris Briers and Alex Loney welcomed the two-year contract extensions of talented halfbacks Greg Smith and Matt Sturgess with open arms.
Also in contention are the always strong Hull Ionians and Stourbridge, who finished last season fourth and sixth respectively.
There's a lot of Yorkshire teams that will be strong this year,” Barrow surmised. “They’ve got a large contingent in the league, so it’ll be a tough contest everywhere we go. Maybe another shooter will come out the blue as well as those teams, it’s really tough to call.”