SWINTON coach Phil Veivers has read the riot act to his lazy Lions to prevent a repeat of last week's humiliating defeat at Barrow.

The Border Raiders, also struggling near the foot of the Northern Ford Premiership table, ran out 48-4 winners in a shamefully one-sided affair which prompted Veivers to call a team meeting on Monday to "clear the air."

Now the Australian supremo reckons his players are properly focused on Sunday's trip to Mount Pleasant and a clash with play-off chasing Batley Bulldogs.

"Last week our players just stayed on the bus. They didn't prepare themselves properly for the game and that showed in their performance," he said.

"I could tell with two or three people before they went on to the pitch that their heads weren't fixed on the game.

"But we had a big discussion this week to get it all out in the open. We talked about players having their own ideas of how to play the game instead of sticking to the gameplan, about how we should be preparing for games and about setting goals for ourselves.

"It was good to see a lot of players turn up. We had about 28 of them there and the meeting was well received by all of them. It was good to see them all there because it means people are fighting for places."

And there are plenty of places up for grabs this weekend, with Dale Holstock, Phil Cushion, Rob Gallagher and Gareth Chambers all out injured.

But Veivers revealed he is close to making a number of new signings to help plug the gaps as his Swinton revolution begins.

And there could even be a welcome return of Jason Johnson, who has spent the majority of his early Lions career on the sidelines since joining from Leigh in the close season.

"A lot of people have sent their CVs into the club and we've had quite a few coming down to training so I might have to look at whether they can do a job for us this week," he said.

"There are a couple of lads that have been playing at Leigh East who have been coming down, so we'll have to see how they progress."

"And it has been great to see Jason Johnson back in training. Last time he played, he did his groin in. He's also had some personal problems but I've had a chat with him and, although he's not fit enough to play just yet, hopefully he will be back available soon."

The Batley clash means yet another trip on the team bus for Swinton but Veivers claimed his charges were becoming accustomed to life on the road, as they continue their tenancy at Leigh's Hilton Park while they look for a new home.

"We are away from home every week at the moment, so it shouldn't bother us," he said.

"If we haven't got an away fixture, we're off to Leigh. The sooner we can get something sorted out over a new ground, the sooner we can call somewhere home."