BARROW RAIDERS winger Ryan Shaw is ready to put the boot into a few more opponents as he gradually gets back into the groove after injury.
Knee injuries kept the 32-year-old goal-kicking specialist out of the opening stages of this campaign – and kept him waiting for a 250th career appearance.
But the former Barrow Island junior and son of ex-Raiders captain Neil Shaw finally reached the milestone earlier this month – more than 13 years after his first senior game.
That debut was for Leigh in a 42-0 Northern Rail Cup away win over Gateshead in March 2012 during a loan spell from Warrington, where he came through the development system.
While Shaw couldn’t break into the Wolves first team, he gained further experience during temporary stints at Swinton and London Broncos.
He started 2014 on loan at Barrow before agreeing a deal there to the end of that season, and was signed by Bradford for 2015 before spending the following four years at Hull KR.
After a spell in rugby union with Leeds Tykes and a short stint back at Leigh, he headed home ahead of the 2021 campaign, when Barrow blasted their way to promotion as League One champions.
Career appearance number 250, in Barrow’s 38-24 1895 Cup quarter-final defeat at Oldham, was Shaw’s 119th for the club in total, since when he added to that tally with an outings in the 37-12 Championship win at Widnes (he was 18th man for the 24-6 Good Friday home win against London Broncos).
Having topped 40 tries for Barrow, he is closing in on 400 goals and said: “The knees are alright and will get me to the end of the season hopefully. It’s really good to be back playing – and kicking.”
Neil Shaw made 233 Barrow appearances in a variety of positions between 1988 and 1998, scoring 44 tries and kicking 114 goals and eight field-goals.
