Here’s hoping for a much more adventurous approach to team selection from Powell than Steve Price has shown in his tenure. Ratchford has only scored one try all season and I can’t recall too many assists which is just not good enough in the modern game so now is the time to start Thewlis at full back. Like also to see how both Ashton and Wrench go on the wings wings to replace brute strength with real pace.
Price’s reluctance to drop players when not playing well has been a feature too - Charnley, Lineham, Hughes and J Clark to name names. Players need to know they are not automatic choices which applies to Toby King post contract.

Amen brother. Time for Ratchford to spend his time on the bench as a good cover player. Should have had that role this season but Price did love a non-threatening steady Eddy.

I can’t believe what I’m reading about Ratchford!
I value your opinions but in my book, you put your best players in a position where they can get theirs hands on the ball, and that isn’t the bench!!

I don't think anybody is questioning ratchfords ability RD but it is more about mental strength.
When Ratchford was penalised for an incorrect play the ball he was frustrated and during the next set of six he decides to stay in the defencive line so that he can get in the referees ear. He stays in the line and mickey Lewis spots it and goes over. World class fullbacks would just get on with their job, get back in position and do what the team needs them to do.
Straight from the restart Ratchford moves to hooker and gives away a penalty for a ball strip. OK Abdul missed that penalty but it could have been 8 points worth of mistakes in 2.mins.

The problem I have is the same as Chris Hill when a decision doesn't go their way. Instead of putting their hand up and the team pulling together to defend the next set after a mistake or being on the wrong end of a 50/50 call then it is shaking of the head and that look of disbelief at the decision. The senior players can question the ref but just get on with your job and encourage your team mates to defend your mistake.
You would never see the likes of Sinfield or Roby do that. They would just get on with it and their team mates would dig in. They don't try and solve the problem on their own. The team would solve the problem..

Some of the senior players have really let themselves down when it comes to mentality in crucial games spanning the Tony Smith and Steve Price era. We can't afford that to continue into the Powell era.

Best player? Ratchford 1 try 8 assists. Coote 7 tries 16 assists. It isn't good enough.

And Coote is being released. Says it all really

You might want to look at the stats of the other super league full backs it makes grim reading. He's light years behind Coote, Tomkins, Myler and others. His stats are the same as Jowitt who has played 7 games left. He's a bluff.

You've been repeating this ridiculous sentence for years. He IS NOT our best player!!(and the fact that you say he is kind of proves my point ). I've never rated him as most people on here probably know, but hopefully Powell will just him as cover as this should be his last season at the club.

Especially when, for some bizarre reason we actually scored more points than saints this season!

Coote has played 3 games less than Ratchford as well. He hinders our attack and it was as clear as day on Friday.

Well he's got his hands on the ball a lot this season and as I've just highlighted he's done VERY little with it. That is in a team scoring lots of tries at the top end of the table. Praying Powell strips Hughes of the captaincy and him and Ratchford of starting roles. It'll make a huge difference.

I don’t think Powell will get along with Charnley. I think if a reasonable bid comes in he could make way. Minikin is the obvious choice for that spot, should my suspicions be right.

Ashton getting a new deal signifies that Powell has a plan for him, Thewlis for me has been more consistent than Ashton this season and is heir apparent to Fullback in my mind, so maybe Ashton has first dibs on the left wing.

Is there scope for Brand to come in? I’ve not seen much of Leigh but appeared to finish the season as fullback. Minikin won’t make the start of the season so there is a vacant spot somewhere.

That leaves Ratchford and Thewlis in a battle for fullback, which is a case of when not if Ratchford is displaced. No room for sentiment, Ratch has been great for us, but these calls need making at the right time, not when it’s too late.

The forwards pick themselves really. There’s not a lot and not especially high quality. But you pick Cooper, then pad around him with Mulhearn, Butler, Doro, Clark, Hughes and Harrison once fit. Likely that Currie and Holmes will be second rows with Dobson and Longstaff for cover.