OK, seeing as we seem to have only 80k left on our cap and are in desperate need for a scrum half to guide us around the pitch with a decent kicking game, what are people's thoughts on offering Danny Richardson a year or two until Hayes matures? Cas have signed widdop and Miller so I can't see a future for him there. I wasn't a fan of his at Saints, but he's improved a lot at cas and could certainly do a job for us and free up Williams to run riot. Oh, and he kicks goals so there would be no desperation to shoehorn ratchford into the 17.

First reaction is 'god no' - but the more thought given it seems a pretty decent idea, could certainly do a job. Is he off contract at Cas?

Yep, he's out of contract and doesn't look like cas have offered him a deal yet.

Quote ="Moe syslak"Yep, he's out of contract and doesn't look like cas have offered him a deal yet.'" https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-leagu ... ird%20year.

Quote ="Moe syslak"Yep, he's out of contract and doesn't look like cas have offered him a deal yet.'" https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-leagu ... ird%20year.

Didn't realise that! Bet he's thrilled they've just signed Jacob Miller!!

Millers a 6 .

I would say no cos he can't defend, but more importantly i'm pretty sure he got dropped under powell in his last season, he went off him after some real patchy performances

I would’ve said a resounding no, which strangely would’ve been my same reaction to Sneyd a season ago. Just goes to show this deciding who to sign lark may not be that easy after all.

Absolute no for Richardson, much better giving Hayes a go, I also think Ratchford would be a FAR better option than Richardson.

Had Sneyd been available I would have taken him, even if we rewound 12 months and he was coming off a disappointing Hull FC season, he gives control and a very good kicking game. Would have been a good option for a couple of years.

Isn't Richardson set to miss a large chunk of next season anyway after tearing his ACL and MCL against Salford back in August?

So basically his game has improved a lot this season since Powell left? Interesting

No idea when you played them, but he was quite pleased with himself and in rude health at ours 25th August . Yet another 'snatching defeat from the jaws of victory' display by the Wire

Not sure he’s much better that Dec Patton. Still think he got a raw deal under Price, but I’m not sure if looking to bring in budget halfbacks is a progressive move, short or long term.

We’ve put the money into Ratchford, said publicly it’s Ratchford. Unless you’re going to unseat him, by a kid knocking the door down for example, it has to be Ratchford.

It’s not what I would do, but I wouldn’t have gave him a 2 year deal and said publicly he is going to be half back.

What raw deal did he get? He got to play in a GF and a Challenge Cup Final winners medal.

Regarding the 2 year deal, it might have been the case that with so many others leaving Ratch could have had the upper hand in the length of the contract IF Warrington only wanted to give him a 1 year deal.
For me full back is his best position followed by his versatility to play anywhere from 1-7 and 13 at a push.
Yes he'll do a job for us in the halves but throughout his career he's never really excelled there.

Powell made himself hostage to fortune by announcing Ratchford as halfback when he signed his new contract. In reality he is an excellent utility back up player, can cover so many positions from the bench/for injuries and can kick goals.

And was dropped to back up hooker, or completely, after that. He wasn’t the finished article, but without playing regularly it’s difficult to become that. It’s not dissimilar to Walker, he’s in for 10 minutes, then out for 4 games, then in for one, out for 4.

I’m all for “earning the shirt” but the odds are stacked against when the playing pattern is like that.

It’s systematic of the club over a long period of time, we don’t really trust home grown players in key positions. So the title of this thread is a self fulfilling prophecy.

Patton played in 2 Grand Finals.

One for Tony Smith and one for Steve Price.

Didn't he play 100 games for us? He was given a chance for me. Then he was released and went to the championship which sort of says it all really. I like him, I want him to succeed but he wasn't the answer for us and still isn't.

Im hearing Josh Drinkwater could be on his way....

Interesting. I would be happy with that.

I would too, nothing flashy, controlling half with a good kicking game (at least I seem to remember a good short kicking game, not sure on long kicking game...?)

Probably started 75-80, over a 5/6 year period. From memory, I’d guess at least 50 of them came in 2 seasons, 2017 and 2019. Both of those times he was the back up, not the real plan.

I’m not saying he was the answer, but we have had kids come through with academy pedigree only to stutter and fail when getting into the first team, only to be knocked and held back. Patton, O’Brien, Morgan Smith all the way back to Jamie Durbin.

At some point, if we want to fix the problem, we need to play the long game. Riley Dean is already being written off by some, potentially including the coach. How long before it’s Hayes?

These kids might not be the answer to 20/25 years of failed junior halfbacks, but Josh Drinkwater definitely isn’t. At least in time these kids “might” be.

Exactly 108 games over 7 seasons. He was given many, many opportunities. He's now at Bradford, a mid to lower level Championship side.

I really don't think he was a diamond in the rough given insufficient chances.

Thats interesting, I would have had him in 2019 after he left Catalans.

Think macnamara was leaving him out towards the back end of this year, pretty sure he dropped him for their play off exit

Think my example might be a poor one, I was speaking about Patton as I said that he is comparable to Richardson, neither of which I would want in the team.

My message was that going to has been’s is part of the disease, not the cure of the half back problem.

I’ve said previously that Dean, with Ratchford as the mentor, would be the plan if we could afford to gamble a slower start this year. But, in self preservation we will bring in a half back.