Re: Squad for Catalan : Wed Feb 19, 2025 5:08 pm  

ratticusfinch wrote:

Cannot believe Ratchford is still haunting our 17 - well starting 13 to be precise. It irks me.

Exactly - he was not great at halfback even when a spritely young man nevermind 37. Baffling.

I think we are the only team in SL that would have him playing 7.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Wed Feb 19, 2025 5:25 pm  

Honestly I think something is off about this. As far as I’m aware Leyland had done nothing wrong in the preseason games, also not buying that he is still learning the systems. Going off the Giants game most the team are still learning they systems and Williams had not even picked up the book

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Feb 20, 2025 1:08 am  

Dufty
Thewlis
Lindop
King
Ashton
Williams
Ratchford
Vaughan
Walker
Yates
Holroyd
Russell
Currie

Powell
Philbin
Crowther/Musgrove (more than likely his boyfriend Musgrove)
Fitzgibbon

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Feb 20, 2025 1:51 pm  

totally baffled why Ratchford is being picked ahead of Leyland. There must be something in this that we aren't seeing/aware of!

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Feb 20, 2025 1:53 pm  

Oxford Exile wrote:

totally baffled why Ratchford is being picked ahead of Leyland. There must be something in this that we aren't seeing/aware of!

We need Oracle Abe.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Feb 20, 2025 1:58 pm  

Wires71 wrote:

We need Oracle Abe.

Think he is currently on the naughty step.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Feb 20, 2025 4:01 pm  

Be interesting to see how Leyland is used throughout the year. My guess is that he'll get his chance & show what he can do.
If not we'll be making an offer to get Drinkwater back as he was always seen as a better half back option than Steph.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Feb 20, 2025 4:38 pm  

So far ,i haven't seen Leyland do anything wrong ,unless Sam sees Ratchford as a steadier pair of hands.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Feb 20, 2025 6:14 pm  

I can only assume Leyland has done something behind the scenes to mickey off Burgess, there's no rational explanation.

Re: Squad for Catalan : Thu Feb 20, 2025 8:15 pm  

After reading through this thread I had to remind myself that we had actually won on Sunday and that Ratchford had a reasonable game ... Nothing too flashy but solid throughout the 80 mins,much like every other player ... So why should he be dropped this week ??