Squad numbers 6am tomorrow, should give us some idea. Suggests there's no more signings anyway, and also we're only going to have 24 numbers - likes of Ben Evans + James' Laithwate and Saltonstall possibly off on loan?

I thought the same when I read the 24.

There is a spare 6 shirt.

Maybe this was not expected and with marketing these days then there is no scope to move players around. It will be interesting to see the rumblings if we do leave the 6 shirt empty.

The rumour mongers on here will be rubbing their hands.

If chris bridge and ryan atkins are fit and stay fit, then next season we wont miss briers and we will sweep the board whoever plays halfback.

1 Matthew Russell
2 Chris Riley
3 Chris Bridge
4 Ryan Atkins
5 Joel Monaghan
6 Stefan Ratchford
7 Richie Myler
8 Chris Hill
9 Micky Higham
10 Roy Asotasi
11 Trent Waterhouse
12 Ben Westwood
13 Simon Grix
14 Michael Monaghan
15 Ben Harrison
16 Paul Wood
17 Ben Currie
18 Rhys Evans
19 Anthony England
20 Gareth O'Brien
21 Glenn Riley
22 Brad Dwyer
23 James Laithwaite
24 Kevin Penny

So, it's Ratchford and Myler at half backs?

That is soooooo 2008...

Hey Derek great to 'see' you bud, I thought you weren't the 'visiting kind'? You must be excited by your recruits particularly at HB to stick your twopenneth in here.

Exciting times ahead for you lad's thats for sure

Realistically Ratchford is the best bet for filling Briers boots not in terms of being the same type of player but as the key man and leader of the team.

Ratchford is not the complete boss that Briers was at the end of his career but in terms of ability he compares well to a younger Briers.

He is 25 years old now which Briers was in 2003. I'd put Ratchford ahead of where Briers was then. Briers was getting more consistent then but there were still a few question marks, I always felt back then that if we were under pressure it would show in Briers game - he'd kick out on the full or would start ranting at referees and lose some focus. He missed the second half of 2003 with an injury and we moved Appo to stand off and the team actually played better then with Appo there than Briers.

I think Ratchford is a cooler head than Briers was at that age, he is composed and won't get ruffled. I also think he's more of a natural athlete, running the ball he is a lot more damaging than Briers was. But he does not have Briers' fantastic kicking game which was already top class back then.

Briers went on a real steep upward curve from the age of 25 to 28 by his late 20s he was the best halfback in the league, so to match that Ratchford has got to really step up but with Tony Smith as his mentor he definitely could do it. At the moment with Briers gone Danny Brough is the best halfback in the game but I reckon Ratchford has more raw ability than Brough and can see him as the top man in the game in the next few years.

Forgive me for this but Briers not being in the squad could give the likes of Ratchford, Myler & O'Brien a little bit of a boost by not looking over their shoulders or paying to a way they think they should due to him being in the team. I know from experience that when a senior person moves on there is as always someone willing to step up, the issue is how they perform. We all should know that the likes of Briers at Warrington, Cunningham at Saints et al can't be replaced like for like. It's now down to Tong Smith to create a new beginning for Warrington and its a period I'm looking forward to.

A good synopsis by you SC.
I agree with all your points.

Not sure about Ratch being better than Briers circa 2003, on a par maybe. Remember Ratch is playing in a much better side than the one Lee was in 10 years ago. Really looking forward to seeing if he can make the step up this season.

Wonder if Ratch is happier with a 6 role than he would have been with a 1 role?

I think we should get Joseph Paulo particularly as the Wiggles have said he is going to have his face carved on Mt Rushmore.

Hopefully, whoever becomes our new playmaker will benefit from Lee Briers being on the coaching staff ,but i am sure TS will be having to work on a more varied approach to breaking down defences than the usually reliable Briers chip to the corner to produce tries. It will be interesting to see how Joel's average is affected by the loss of one of his main benefactors.