everyone is talking about a centre or another scrum half.... i would like a new centre, but a very good FB could be the making of us now we have 'sorted' the pack out

i dont like ratchford there... and i dont think ratchford likes playing there...... Smith doesnt seem to want to play Russell there.

a good FB would free Ratchford up to play centre or in the halves... we would then have Gidley, Patton and Ratchford fighting for 6 and 7..... we could drop evans and play Ratch and Atkins at 3 and 4... we could become more flexible during a game and move players through the HB positions.

i dont think we are that weak at FB, as we have options... we dont have a quality FB though.

Out of all the post's since Sandow's departure , about who and what position we should strengthen, I think this post is the best yet. Ratchford is no full back and Russell is not a winger . You make the most sensible post and team selection that I think would make us a better a team. So I agree a specialist full back makes a lot of sense and nay be ratchford could find his best position

Sounds like you are talking about round pegs in round holes. What an amazing suggestion, it could just work.

Madness... We should obviously being in a prop to take over kicking duties.

Not sure fb is the most important though. I'm a big ratchford fan... And while he might be slightly more effective in the halves, I don't think you can honestly say we're losing games because of his fullback play. Centres/wings are the weak links at the moment in my eyes and so theses are where is address first.

I've actually said something similar on message boards and to different Wire fans face to face.. And I get to same reaction which is..
"What drop Russell??? " .... My answer "Yes he isn't a winger and Smith won't play him at full back I'm talking about the balance of the side ".. The reply " F**k the balance Look at the quick yards he makes , oh and that try for Scotland !"....
When I realise I'm getting nowhere once again my palm meets my face !

My centres would be TKing and Atkins in rotation on the left and Ratchford on the right. Ratchford is always excellent at centre he isn't always excellent anywhere else.

What I'll say for Russell is that in the last three seasons Wire have looked at our very best when Russell has played full back.

If it were a young Brett Hodgson OK ... but I'm afraid you can't find them like him. Sam Tomkins a few years back maybe.
Another Half back required, for me.

In my opinion Ratchford is totally wasted at centre. I want to see the ball in his hands at least twice in every set of 6. I want to see him given a run in the halves. No moving him to fullback or centre or loose forward as an easy option when we invariably suffer injuries throughout the season.

Russell at full back, Atkins and Lineham on one side of the pitch, Penny on the other ( I still want mantellato though ) along with a new centre.

Let Toby king develop at the club and send Rhys Evans on loan to a club that won't be a top 4 team at the end of the season ( ala Leeds with Zak Hardaker )

Pair Ratchford with Gidley. Patton will get his fair share of game time as Gidley Will need to be rested. Let Ratchford play a more expansive game and let Gidley or Patton provide the more structured part

But your full back HAS to be secure under the high ball, and Russell most definitely isn't. Don't you recall the ludicrous situation where players were having to swap positions to cover that weakness?

I wonder why we didn't make a serious play for Hardaker. I know we were sniffing around, but it sounded a bit half-hearted.

This.

Unfortunately I have to agree with you Captain I say unfortunately because I don't like seeing our players struggle, but, ever since that belt on the mouth at Widnes Russell hasn't coped under a high ball. Ratchford, Penny, Johnson and Evans are all better in the catching department.

How fit is/will Johnson be next year?

I'd agree with that and mulled it over when Sandow fulfilled the inevitable.
However there's not getting away from TS love for Russell. Id rather see Russell outside Atkins because there's no point having Jason Nightingale there....whoever it is, isn't likely to get many a pass anyway. Russell is going to be in out team somewhere so I'd rather see Ratchford as the FB. You don't waste a talent like Steph in the 3/4s.

There is still a question over Patton. I'd take a hb.

I don't understand why Gidley has never been played there. Was given the 1 shirt last season and has openly admitted that 1 is his preferred position.

He played full back in the Christmas friendly at Widnes and was excellent, you could actually see him talking to the players and guiding them from that deep position. I'm pretty sure he didn't play there again.. Another of Tony Smiths baffling decisions .

I'm pleased about these comments, i was starting to think i had imagined it. He has obviously come over as a fullback why not try him there?

Not so baffling. If I recall Ratchford was injured at the beginning of the season, Gidley and Sandow built a relationship and TS didn't want to break it up. I presume that after that he didn't want to start bringing in new players AND swapping positions around.

Russell was fullback for the Widnes friendly. Gidley played stand-off. Another baffling example of forum posters thinking they know better than Tony Smith.

Knowing Smith he would buy a FB n play him at centre.

There's an awful lot of generalisation goes on with regards to players weaknesses, Russell can catch a high ball, he needs to work on doing it consistently. We undoubtedly playedour best rugby this season with him at FB, I don't for one minute think it was purely down to him being at FB but he played an important roll early on which we were able to capitalise on.

For every ball Matty may drop Stephan will lose getting tackled or getting up to play the ball die to his loose one handed carries

Having Russell at FB allows Steph to play either centre or in the halves it gives us a winger on the wing too. Idk West seem to still be trying to find our best team n have been for some seasons now

I may have this wrong, i thought it was Gidley and I could have sworn at some stage in that game Gidley played at full back.
If Russell had started at full back..I must bow to your superior knowledge.

May I ask is the angst towards other posters really necessary ? Or does it just make you feel like a big man/women ?

Don't we all know better than Tony Smith? We cant do anything about it or prove we are right but I think if he tried my team selection it would work better than some of his. I know it cant be proved but in my mind I am right.

Yes you can. Start coaching a team. If you are a better coach than Tony Smith you'll soon work you're way through the ranks.

There is no may about it; you have got it wrong. So feel free to bow to my superior knowledge at your convenience.

As for angst with other posters I save all that for the ginger haired students.

The irony meter had just gone into meltdown.
Someone just spelt out to me it was either one of his facts or the other....but only those otherwise it has no validation.