Quote: ratticusfinch "Is ratchford a great player? No certainly not great. He's a major issue for me, shoehorning him into the side causes problems. In a great side he's a luxury you can afford. If Russell were fit he'd be on the bench as cover for me or I'd be seeing if any club were stupid enough to buy him. Sorry but I've just NEVER got the hype over him at all. His percentage of good games must be somewhere around the 50% mark.'"
It's a +1 from me, too
I remember when the rumours were rife that we were signing him, and Salford were playing at the HJ a week or so later. I kept an eye on him all game, and he barely broke sweat, and I came away none the wiser.
Don't get me wrong, I'm nowhere near a disliker of him. I've just thought that he's
50% good to great games
50% emperor's new clothes
imo, if he's your cast iron full back in your side, you've got problems. Average under a high ball, at times he's turnstile-like in defence, but pretty good in returning a ball. For me, that's not as good as Stuart Reardon.
He's not got the pace of a winger. As a stand off, he's a poor man's Johnny Woods. Bang a couple of stones on him, and play him as an "old fashioned" loose forward. We don't HAVE TO conform to current trends, and have an extra prop @ LF.
Our play since MMonaghan/Briers/Hodgson retired is predictable, and at times, pedestrian. Get him further up the pitch, where he can be more affective.