This year’s League One champions are preparing to compete in the new-look Championship and Dean Muir’s side have organised three pre-season friendlies to get themselves ready.
The first of these takes place at Colwyn Bay’s Stadiwm CSM on Sunday and Crusaders’ opponents will be Swinton Lions.
Muir was appointed head coach in October following the departure of Carl Forster from the role and he has wasted no time in securing additions to the title-winning squad, which has hit the ground running with pre-season training.
Muir said: “The boys are really enthusiastic and they are buying into what we want.
“The talk and communication is definitely there. The togetherness, tightness is evident to see and I thought our skill has been, overall, good.”
Crusaders warmed up for their pre-season tests with an opposed training session alongside Oldham.
“It was good,” stressed Muir. “I was pleased (with) what I saw. The lads really enjoyed it and it was designed to put the team under a bit of pressure, practice in-game scenarios and look at different combinations.”
North Wales Crusaders and Swinton Lions were familiar rivals in League One last season and the match-up will allow the teams to dust off any cobwebs.
It’s a hectic festive spell for Muir’s Crusaders, who are heading north to tackle Barrow on December 28.
Then, North Wales will be returning to Colwyn Bay for a high-profile match-up with Super League giants Wigan Warriors on January 10. It has been announced that this big match-up will be an all-ticket affair.
This will be the final pre-season friendly for Crusaders and the competitive campaign will get underway at home to either Bedford Tigers or Medway Dragons in the Challenge Cup on the weekend of January 24-25.
North Wales will then open their Championship tilt away to Widnes Vikings in early February.