just heard that the wire could be after him, oh no not again

If Wigan had any sense Sam Tomkins would be playing 6.

Can't see Ratchford has anything to gain by moving away from Salford now. On the other hand, if he lives up to all our expectations his next contract may be another matter.

Can't understand why Big Ray hasn't been signed up already. In the League Express this week it read as though he was simply waiting for the Reds to put an offer on the table. Failure to retain him would be a huge mistake. He's our best prop by far and we could do with signing someone his equal, not losing the best prop we've got.

Also can't understand why we're dragging our heels about signing a replacement for Bailey, surely there's someone out there?!

Someone huh? He sounds class!

It's a distinct possibility in 2012.



Deacon and Leuluai aren't getting any younger and Tomkins looks to be settled at full back.



Sam Tomkins, Goulding, Mcllorum, Hansen, Joel Tomkins, O'Loughlin, Prescott, O'Carroll, Mossop, Farrell, Tuson, Marsh and Charnley all seemed to have learnt a trade at Wigan.

What he said







I just wrote war and peace on Stef for it to dissapear can't b assed writing it again just ask KOTS my opinion he knows them best .

FB hasn't worked out too badly for them?! (or him)

We want him to stay,Mr Simms says he is part of are future,but Ratchford wants to be a stand off,
not a centre,I personally think he is the best stand off,at the club,so if he does want to play stand off,
and Wigan or Warrington,do come for him,and that's where they want him to play,he will go,wouldn't you.

Think more than anyone at the club Steff is the future, think also he is the best talent we have had for countless years nad makes Myler look like a rank outsider. Think Steff is a different character to Myler too and should he decide to go think he wouldn't switch off before the end of the year and go with dignity like Hodgy did a few years ago.

Like someone else has said I fear this is a case of the club putting the massive contract offer out to pre empt the back lash from us all when he goes.

DogPie are you one of our assistant coaches by any chance??

At the present time Holdsworth is the best stand off we have. The best teams have quality leaders at 6 and 7 who control the structure and direction of the play either side of the ball.

Ratchford needs to develop as a leader because he does not appear to be a natural leader in the mould of Tomkins at Wigan. He's been playing his best rugby in the centres where is ability to create opportunities his complementing Broughton's finishing speed well. He's worth retaining but not at any cost.

Radio Manchester played an interview with Ratchford a couple of weeks ago and asked him about the contract situation. His response was that `he loved it here' and was hoping `something could be sorted out shortly' (i.e. now!)

If you cast your minds back to when Myler was around he would often respond to the contract renewal question by stating that he `would let his agent sort out his future' and we all know how that turned out!

I personally think he'll sign.........

IMO the most important positions on the field are fB,SO,SH,H,LF out of that list of players ive highlighted the ones to my knowledge play regular in them positions (even though i dont rate o'loughlin as a ball playing looseforward he is a hatchit man runs around knocking peoples heads off imo) the rest are just good runners and good blockers, can you see wigan reaily trusting rachford to become a main pivot in their team when he isnt even one in ours? they havnt even got a coach like us next season who is to say rachfords face will fit their recruitment specifications

He is a talent this isnt in question but the following statment sums it up for me



i agree with all of the above our little pattern, holsworth, smith, godwin diamond is working a treat at the momement and Rachford being further out with the quality service and with his natural instinct to keep the ball alive with individual brilliance feeding Broughton who has pace to burn gives us a sharp attacking threat Which to me we havnt had since Maloney / Pinkney ran in 20 odd tries one season.

With the right coaching and sufficiant weight gain he could be an England Centre for sure in the next 3 years, great hands, great feet, good rugby brain, good defence would certainly give us somthing different from your bog standard 6'3 powerfull, straightline runner centre we have been use to over the years for gb and england
BUT he needs time to develop and at wigan i feel he wont get it, they will want him to be a world class centre / standoff now and if he doesnt perform they will buy a ozzie international that will.

Lets be talk about Coley for a second, yes he has won stuff, yes he is playing in a good team but he certainly for me isnt the player i saw in a salford shirt, he isnt using his freaky quick pace for such a big man, i ant seeing him run over people outwide being used as a extra centre when he was in the mood, wigan have just turned him into a prop who takes the ball up and tackles for 60 minutes

Not the andy coley we though he could have been if he hadnt have had his head turned, its a under use of his ability imo but at wigan i surpose coley doesnt need to turn it on as much because he is surrounded by talent who will carry him until he can be d to put a performance in.

I reaily do hope rachford gives the club a chance, he is still only young if he gets even better he could leave and try his best against the best in the world in oz in 3 years time with my best wishes