Yes lets hope the new coach wants a full back who doesn't ponce about ambling from a poor position or thinking he's cool with one handed carries and actively (and shamefully) avoiding one on one tackles. He needs to move away from FB asap - he's a liabilty there.

You just described Sam tomkins

Thanks Hatfield.

Re Ratchford.
He is indeed the most talented player in our team. Is he the ideal fullback?...perhaps not, but the point is...you put your best player in a position where they can get there hands on the ball....centre isn't one of those.

RD, I seem to remember conversations we've had when you've been adamant Ratch has to play at 6 as you want your best players with their hands on the ball - I always argued Full Back gave him that opportunity, you always disagreed!!

I still believe 6 to be the best position for Ratchford to be more specific, but if playing fb as a pivot will put him in a position to get his hands on the the ball, then I relent...!
However I hate his one hand ball carries that heightens a knock on off his own knee than he gets from a forced error.

perfect assesment

It doesn't say a lot about our team if he is the most talented player we have. Cant think of a player who knocks on as much as him in or out of contact. I won't mention Saturdays pocket pinching. Just love the way he puts his arm in the air afterwards to say sorry.

The info i got about Ratch 2 or 3 years ago is the lad doesn't want to play fullback but does so at the request of Mr Smith.

yes ratch has been full back all season and we have been dire haiku is the only player that has given us any hope for next season and now he is gone.

ratchford aus talent undoubtedly but has never put together even a fiull season of top performances and we stilll struggle to find a place for him in the team I disagree with him at 6 he has played there and been just as above average as he is at full back !!

So where does Ratchford play if not Fullback,no way would I have him the halves.only place I would have him is centre.

centre or at another club for me, we have for too long tried to find him a position tho it will be interesting to see where he played under the new coach.

We put him at centre and you have Patton and Brown as our only creativity.
Some one can't smell the custard!!!

The custard is back.

Ratchford is a utility player & ,as such, has fitted in with Smith's blueprint of play anywhere players. He reminds me very much of Willy Aspinall who was good at making breaks for himself but didn't pass much....Sounds a bit like Russell too.

are we not in the market for a half ???


ratchford has played in the half and been just as bad as our other halfs so no advantage of putting him there so I can smell it and think it smells a bit iffy
he was not able to get us around the park is general kicking is hit and miss and also his desision making is suspect at times

we must now ask ourselves that if after so long we are still thinking about his best position does he have a best position and can we afford to have os much cap space taken ub by a utility back as good as he may be ????

In the current climate i wouldn't want Ratch to leave as any player with a modicum of talent is a rarity these days but IMO he should be playing centre if he's on the field. Shoehorning him into the side over the years has hurt us at times - most notably 2013 GF. Rumours earlier in the season that he was off to Saints, I wouldn't have lost any sleep if he'd have gone - for the supposed most talented player at Warrington he makes a decent centre, below average half and a poor full-back. As an aside in terms of rugby talent Ratchford is well behind Currie and also Livett.