After last night's performance at loose forward and with the general consensus among many fans that he has been our most consistent player of recent seasons, is it fair to say that Stefan Ratchford has been, on a value for money basis, our best signing of the SL era?

Obviously, we have seen some great players in the Primrose and Blue in that time, but for performance consistency, as anyone outdone Ratchford?

Definately, jack of all trades. master of them all.

I'd be happy saying yes for that and i wasn't bothered at all when we signed him, brilliant player. And if we have plans for Matty Ashton as a future fullback, moving Ratchford to 13 would be an incredible move and win win for us. We've got some serious speed across our squad now, and with Leilani playing well and Kibula having a solid debut the forwards are looking good. And if the rumour is true and we have signed Rob Butler for next year i'm very confident with our squad

I hope this puts the ratchford to centre calls to bed, he wasted out there play him anywhere in the middle where he can influence play and get his hands on the ball and he will be effective. Brilliant player, he's our best player no matter how many individual moments other players have.

Mr reliable, great to see him play so well at loose last night.

It’s no secret about my thoughts on Ratchford. The most talented and best player in our team.
Said it for seasons.

I've always said he is by far our best player. Some players we can manage without but when it's Ratch we're a different team. Daryl is another I hate to see not included in the 17 for whatever reason.
Great game last night each and every one put the effort in. Lovely to see the younger guys getting a chance. Ratch the captain was well deserved.

Can't find an argument with a word of that, and (as I said on last night's match thread) I'm sure it was you who mentioned him as a potential LF. My hat is tipped to you, sir.

When we were rumoured to be signing him, we played Salford at the HJ. I kept my eye on him all game, and thought [idon't waste your money, Moran[/i. I didn't think he looked interested, especially in front of a potential suitor. He's certainly turned into one of the best SL players of the last decade.
Keep offering him contracts.

Matured into an excellent player ,i remember when we signed Myler from Salford thinking we should have signed Ratchford instead . Luckily we did in the end. Put a ball in his hands & he is a threat from virtually anywhere on the pitch.

Best signing of the SL era: Briers followed by Westwood.
Best for consistency: Morley, Clark, Carvell, Hicks, Hodgson, Grix when healthy.

To go into a position that he hadn't played in for 6 years, and one that he'd only played at 4 times before to then put in a performance like that was incredible. Fantastic attitude to do anything for the team.

He'd made 122 tackles across our previous matches, ended up as top tackler on 48.

Never rated him as more than a good super league player. Not sure why.

If you give me the option of Ratchford in his prime at fullback or Hodgson. I am taking Hodgson comfortably.

Matt King or Chris Bridge in their primes are centre or Ratchford. I am taking King and Bridge.

Theres a reason the NRL have never showed much interest. Just think he lacks the electric pace of a pre injury sam tomkins. Lacks strength, prone to errors and I dont think he has the rugby brain of a Brett hodgson.

But i must be bias against him for some reason because a lot of people seem to rate him highly.

To me if he was the best fullback, centre, stand off available to england. It would highlight a lack of quality in those areas.

Being judged second best to Hodgson as a fullback or Matt King as a centre still makes Ratchford an outstanding player in either position. Not sure where you get the 'lacks strength' : 48 tackles on Friday night, not unusual for him to break out of a tackle, either. I like Hodgson a lot, too, but he would not have been seen playing at loose forward!

It's good that Ratch can fill in at LF when necessary, but I'm not sure I'd want him doing the hard graft game in game out. Where is Ratchford's best position has always been a matter of great debate, and after Friday's game, still is. Whatever our thoughts on the matter are, this conundrum is a good problem to have.

Hill should be on that list also IMO.

I just think if you're talking best signing, he shouldn't be a tier below other players Warrington have had over the last 15 years. And I think he is a tier below those players I listed in there respective positions.

I think the lack of strength is from the amount of times I have seen him get dominated in a tackle and it result in a slow play the ball. But maybe that is an effort thing. Sam Tomkins was only small but he used to always fight for a quick play the ball and get plenty of penalties off the back of it. Billy Slater wasnt the biggest either but got quick ptb. I think that is huge for a fullback when starting a set.

Some good names there for debate and there have certainly been some good signings in the SL era (and plenty of rot too).

There's a very good and interesting game of Top Trumps to be had with our signings - Using consistency, individual ability, impact on team as a whole and longevity, as different gradings, I still think you would find Ratchford very near the top.

He’s been awesome for us for the best part of a decade. Multiple positions, very rarely a bad game, superb skill and rugby awareness. Truly great signing.

I'm not sure whether Ratchford is the best SL signing ever but he was a great one and I love watching him play on the run ball in hand particularly now he seems to take more care of the ball, is it me or is there less one handed stuff these days?

When we signed Myler the Salford fans I know reckoned we'd signed the wrong half and I'm not knocking Myler but they were right and I'm glad that we went back for him

I understand Ratchford's popularity but also, if we are honest, there's something revealing about where Warrington is as a club, in relation to Saints, Leeds, Wigan, that we have a thread discussing if he is our best ever SL signing.

When it comes to the end of a season and we've lost a GF or been knocked out of the playoffs there are always angry reflections on here and one point which always gets made is we don't have the same ambition and expectations as a club, as those teams that win SL titles. It usually comes up about the coach: "would Saints or Wigan have tolerated this...?" But it relates to players too. We do develop love-ins for some players that wouldn't be as popular at the big clubs because their fans have higher standards. You see it every year when we extend the contracts of some of our players, and the fans hail it as "great news, sets us up well for a bright future, X is one of the best in the league in his position!". Then at the end of the year we are angry and frustrated and lashing out that there have been problems at the club for years.

It's like something I heard on a football podcast about Arsenal. A lot of their players are individually very popular with the fanbase, but their fans are always frustrated that they are not competing for the Premier League. They've become a club where good players go on the field and play well, rather than a club with winners who know how to win the title. Ratchford is for me a bit of an Arsenal type RL player. You look at his performances and say he delivers consistently and is right up there with anybody in his position....but....there's [isomething missing[/i. Why isn't Ratchford a permanent Man of Steel contender? Why isn't he in high demand from the NRL?

Ratchford always comes to mind when lefty gives his end-of-season critique of "we're [itoo nice[/i as a club". He seems like a great guy for the dressing room. Gets moved around to different positions, never complains. We never hear whinging that "the coach isn't using me in my best position". He always looks good in any position as well, he's one of those players like Grix who just has enough rugby sense that he can be put in any position and he knows what to do. Never seems to be bothered by pressure. Top club man. BUT when the team is playing badly or in a bad run of form, do you ever see Ratchford find an extra gear and take control of a game and turn things around and drag the rest of his team to a higher level? No - its the Arsenal characteristic again. He'll "play well in a losing effort". He's not alone in this, and very few players in the league are real difference makers like that. But this is what separates him as a 'nearly great' from the guys like Tomkins, Sinfield, Long.

There's a lot to like with Ratchford - as well as those traits I said above, his career arc is one of improving as he gets into his 30s which is an encouraging sign as many talents flame out after their mid 20s. He used to be error prone and casual sometimes but this has come out of his game and he gets more consistent year on year. We saw how Briers - another player who felt like a 'nearly great' for a while - consolidated his game to be the complete package in his 30s.

The player comparison I would hope for with Ratchford, is that in the later years of his career, he could become what Iestyn Harris was in the early years of his career. He's a similar player to Harris, an elusive runner that lacks the explosive pace to burn people for speed, but very comfortable as a ball handler, solid defence, ok Harris kicking game was better. The difference was, Harris at Leeds, was a real leader who set the direction of the game. Many a time he would change the direction of a game in Leeds favour. If we were a really ambitious club who wanted to be clearly the best in SL like KF always talks about we would be pushing Ratchford to do this.

Ratchford was a great signing. He may not be the best in any given position, but to be second best in so many is surely impressive and warrants his renewed and improved contracts. He plays his heart out and makes a difference to the team.

For what it’s worth, I think his best position is at fullback. I don’t like him out of the way and off the ball at centre and I don’t think he’s quite got the ball skill for a full time half position.

Ratchford has proper competition now for his fb shirt, in matt Ashton, probably doesnt have his all round game but has that stinking electric pace.

With the salary cap system, players like ratchford make a massive difference to fielding a strong team when injuries and suspensions pile up. If he had been given a 6 or 7 shirt and a good long run he would have been one of the best. His versatility has held him back for sure. Play him anywhere in the middle and he will contribute plenty in attack and defence. If its true about widdop wanting out I wouldn't replace him with another half I'd just put ratch there and let Ashton play fullback, keep patton as cover.

It’s no surprise that 2 of his most memorable standout performances, were when he played loose forward.
He has the makings of John Pendlebury, who I consider the best loose forward I’ve seen. If he can bang a stone on in the off season. I would make him 13 period.

Ratchford has been a superb signing and a fabulous, consistently high performing player over a much, [imuch[/i longer period of time than some named on this thread, or others for whom the terms "legend" or "great" have been hastily handed out.

Bridge? Very good centre with an international winger outside him in an excellent team.
Matt King? Wonderful player who was rank average in his first year.
Hodgson? Brilliant full back in a brilliant team overflowing with playmakers and dominant forwards

Stef has done it as well, for longer, than all three and is still here delivering the goods. Bit of respect needed but you might appreciate him better when he's retired.