With coach Scott Saddler heading back to Australia, the Atoms have again had to re-shuffle their resources in the coaching department.

Dave Crow takes on the mantle of head of coaching with Andy Helme, Randall Raines and the returning Paul Dorrington as his able assistants.

The departure of captain and hooker Gary Lithgow has left a big hole to fill but one that will be carefully thought about over the next week or so.

The Atoms played a pre-season friendly against Langworthy Reds from Salford and took a squad of 20 players to face the Division Two outfit.

The squad contained five debutants all under the age of 20 which is a real boost for the future of the club.

The Atoms lost the game 20-16 but there was some real encouraging signs along with plenty for the coaches to work on.

Guy Richardson was in his usual safe and consistent mode while Billy Livingstone and Mike Holmes looked sharp in the centre. Neil Walker guided his side around the park well forming a tidy partnership with Mike Marrin in the pivot roles.

The forwards as a unit had a tough old test in a physical encounter around the rucks.

Daniel Ginoccio impressed with his appetite for the hard graft and looks a real prospect.

Chris Thomas, Ginoccio and Andy Helme, in his 350th game, scored the tries with Billy Livingstone kicking two out of three.

The League fixtures kick off this weekend with a tough away fixture at Andy Farrell's old club, Orrell St James in Wigan.

Back in the mid 1990s when the Atoms were rising through the ranks, they took the scalp of Orrell in a North West Counties Cup quarter-final 18-16, a win still regarded by many at the club as one of their finest ever victories.

Hopefully history can repeat itself and with a fully-fit squad raring to go optimism is high.

The Atoms need to get off to a good start as Division Three looks stronger than ever with Mayfield, Parkside and St Maries all coming into this highly competitive league.