It is my view that Ratchford is actually falling into one of two positions ,either a centre or a rangey loose forward ....i also think he would make a good stand off if only he would pass more to his team mates & keep both hands on the ball, where possible, when running. He reminds me of another Wire great with his reluctance to pass, Willy Aspinall, & there is no reason why Ratch couldn't become one of the games great players ,but can he do that as a utility player?

You mean like Ellery Handley, Paul Sculthorpe and to lesser likes of Jamie Lyons and Jiffy?
These players were shoehorned in at any position that would allow them to get there hands on the ball in a team.
Jiffy was put in at GB fullback even though he had only played mainly at right centre for us.
Great players can play anywhere.

Big problem is that ratchford isn't GREAT, certainly not fit to lace the boots of those players you've just mentioned. Comparing him to jiffy is making my teeth itch

With Ratchford, it is hand (singular) on the ball, unfortunately. And he hardly ever passes. The four you mention are top quality, I'm don't think Ratchford belongs in that bracket.

Nobody is comparing Ratch and Jiffy???

Utility players can play anywhere. GREAT players(hanley, sculthorpe, lyon) play GREAT anywhere.

Ratchford remains an enigma, but on his day is a wonderful, wildcard player who can scatter defences in a way that few others can.

The problem we have is Sandow is another wildcard, off-the-cuff player and we can't pair two players of this nature in the halves. All my favourite halfback partnerships have had a straight man/funny man/good cop/bad cop element and the Gidley-Sandow combination is a good example of that. And, to be blunt, Ratchford's kicking and passing game isn't up to snuff for a half-back.

However, I'd agree we have to find a place for Ratch in the 17. Full-back gives him space, but he scares the willies out of me returning the ball in one hand, and is sometimes more laid-back than Perry Como in both attack and defence. Maybe loose-forward one day, but not yet, and our back-row options are looking very tasty at the moment anyway.

So, for me, he gets the centre spot vacated by Mr Atkins. And no, this isn't me induldging in some Ryan bashing, simply an acknowledgement that if we want all our gamebreakers on the pitch, someone has to make way.

I've only 2 positions in mind for Ratchford. One is at halfback and the other is loose forward.
Okay he needs to pack on another stone ideally, but very reminiscent of my all time fav loose forward John Pendlebury.
Ratch is nearer a John Pendlebury than he is a John Woods that I admit, but he's a million miles off a Allan Bateman or a Brian Johnson, so no at centre or fullback for me.

A lot of the posts on here seem to neglect the fact we have a season that will contain anything between 31 and 36 games, so it cannot be a case of 'first choice 17 plays until someone's form drops'.

Or, if it is, we will find ourselves at round 14/15 wondering why we have 7/8 injuries and why the guys coming in have no match sharpness and don't know the systems.

Ratchford is the new Grix, in that he is being written off while injured, on the evidence of a season where he was more or less playing injured throughout. His versatility will give us terrific options and flexibility later in the season. I would still play him at full-back more often than not, but he does need to be a bit more urgent in that position (unlike at year when he was, as I say, not fully fit). Still our best footballer when in the mood.

We do seem to have short memories here. Ratchford's last game was v. Saints at the end of the season. He produced a sublime bit of skill to put Jack Johnson in for a brilliant try (Johnson by the way looked a very good player). He is a top player.
Last year when Matty Russell was injured he seemed to be put down on this forum as was Rhys Evans.
God help you if you get injured.

Well said Smiffy and Browny.
Shame on many others.

I was watching back the 2012 and 2013 GFs and I was surprised at how poor Ratchfords' defence is. Anyone who thinks he can play in the middle six is a bit deluded.

He needs to earn his place back in the reserves as does Dodds. This club has made mistakes in the past by selecting players on the basis of reputation or the size of their salary.