i dont buy into all this about size and shape for positions but if your saying hes to tall im sure hes the same size as malc and hes been playing there 10 years +.

why is ratchford simply not an hooker people have been saying on here that malc has to go coz hes to slow and hasnt got a rugby brain ( not sayin i agree with this ) which ratchford has and look at the number 9's now at most clubs monaghan at warrington , robinson hudds , danny orr quins and when sam obst played there earlier in the season thought he was outstanding there are all half backs but think the no 9 position now has changed and its more a 3rd half back position .

So who is going to replace Swain at 13?

Ratchford could easily develop in to a top class 13 given the right coaching........

Well if the Wild rumour is true, then him I would think.

Am I the only one thinking that Ratchford wouldn't be any good as a hooker because his passing isn't good enough??

Rachford @ hooker, it would be worth a look the two things that bother me would be

He plays the game in too nice of a way imo to be a hooker, when was the last time you saw him clean somebody out (legal or illegal) to be a decent hooker you need that bit of venom in you as virtually all the time your in the thick of the action competing physically and mentally with people who can only be described as monsters most of the time and if you dont have the physical strenth, the mental toughness and fear factor to keep getting up and knocking the next attacker down tackle after tackle like some kind of rabid infested dog it wont work.

I just dont feel physically Rachford is their yet in his development to take over the hooking role succesfully, his defence against bigger units is pretty bad .
For me he should be used in a "Thinking winger" role like chris Bridge was at wire let him come in and be the extra pivot and get involved make the defenders think about what you might do.

M Smith would look more like a contender for space in our two man hooking unit , but he like Rachford has problems with bigger unit which in the hooking Role is bread and butter