Stefan RATCHFORD [
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Mon May 21, 2012
by Stobart Super League
Source: www.superleague.co.ukStefan Ratchford marked his comeback from injury with the match-winning tries as Warrington moved to within a point of Stobart Super League leaders Wigan.
Former Wakefield Trinity Wildcats centre Ryan Atkins scored a hat-trick of tries against his old club but it was Ratchford who played the decisive role as the Wolves completed the double over the Wildcats.
The former Salford City Reds utility back, who had been out for 11 weeks after damaging his shoulder in the sixth game of the season, returned a month earlier than expected and made an immediate impact.
Wakefield, who lost 32-30 at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in March, were again poised to spring a shock when they hit back to draw level at 12-12 by half-time.
But Ratchford, chosen ahead of veteran stand-off Lee Briers, took a pass from Matty Blythe eight minutes into the second half to restore his side's lead and made sure of the win with a solo effort on the hour.
The Wolves then piled on the agony for Wakefield with three further tries in the last 16 minutes, all converted by Brett Hodgson, who finished with seven goals from as many attempts.
Wakefield, led out by former Warrington full-back Richard Mathers in the absence of Danny Kirmond with an abductor strain, belied their lowly position with some entertaining rugby that caused all sorts of problems for their visitors.
They deservedly took the lead when half-backs Tim Smith and Isaac John combined with loose forward Danny Washbrook to get second rower Frankie Mariano charging over for a fifth-minute try, but Warrington demonstrated their class to run in two tries in 13 minutes.
Atkins took Hodgson's pass to go through a gap for his side's first score and then sent winger Chris Riley over at the corner after Gareth O'Brien's long, looping pass created an overlap.
Hodgson's second conversion made it 12-6 but a flurry of penalties enabled the Wildcats to build some pressure.
Centre Dean Collis got over the line but was unable to ground the ball and Mathers had a try disallowed for an obstruction before the pressure paid off when replacement forward Steve Southern crashed over seven minutes before half-time to mark his return from a calf strain.
Paul Sykes' second goal tied the scores and Wakefield dominated the early stages of the second half without being able to crack a superbly-drilled Wolves defence.
A superb offload by Blythe got Ratchford racing over for his side's third try, to which Hodgson added his third goal, and that effectively ended the game as a contest.
Atkins went over twice in nine minutes to complete his hat-trick and Riley intercepted a pass by Wakefield substitute Kyle Wood to grab his second.
Sat May 19, 2012
Warrington expect to have skipper Adrian Morley back for Sunday's Stobart Super League trip to Wakefield Trinity while long-term injury victims Stefan Ratchford and David Solomona are also close to returning to action.
Morley has been out since April with a neck injury and his anticipated return for last week's Carnegie Challenge Cup tie against Catalan Dragons in Perpignan was put on hold after he picked up a back injury in training.
"He jarred his back in training late last week," said Warrington coach Tony Smith.
"We were taking him to France but he had to pull him out. He thinks he'll be right but we'll give him a fitness test tomorrow."
Both utility back Ratchford, who damaged a shoulder in March, and back-row forward Solomona, who broke a leg during the club's pre-season training camp in Australia, have recovered fitness earlier than expected, with the former also set to play this weekend.
"Stefan is 100% and raring to go so I'm tempted to throw him in at the deep end," said Smith.
"He's rehabbed ahead of schedule but he's been back to the consultant and had all the strength testing and he's ready to go.
"He's looking good. He's been in full training for a couple of weeks and is looking sharp. He's jumping out of his skin to play."
The 34-year-old Solomona was not expected to return until July but has been given the go-ahead to resume full training and Smith expects him to be back playing next month.
"The first reports were July but he worked really hard," he said. "He's a strong guy and he's healed well. He's done all the right things. He's a real positive person."
The former Wakefield and Bradford Bulls forward is among a host of Warrington players out of contract at the end of the season and is determined to win a new deal.
"He's off contract at the end of the year so in a short period of time he's going to try and prove some points," added Smith. "That's extra motivation for him.
"For him to come back and almost start his season is quite exciting for us. He's got some of the X factor that not a lot of people in the game have got.
"We're all delighted for Dave because he's such a big influence on and off the field. He's a big part of our culture here and he has a big impact on us."
The return of the injured trio leaves only half-back Richie Myler and hooker Michael Monaghan on the casualty list.
Myler, originally sidelined with an abductor problem, is facing another two to three weeks out after undergoing a hernia operation while Monaghan is thought to be a week away from recovering from a knee injury.
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 2012 Stobart Super League
Warrington Wolves
7 games; 3 tries, 12 points.
[View] Round 1 [05 Feb 12] D 20-20 v Hull FC (A). [F8]
[View] Round 2 [12 Feb 12] W 50-10 v London (H). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 3 [18 Feb 12] W 32-22 v Huddersfield (A). [FB]
[View] Round 4 [26 Feb 12] W 42-10 v Hull KR (H). [BE]
[View] Round 5 [03 Mar 12] W 23-10 v Bradford (A). [BE]
[View] Round 6 [09 Mar 12] L 18-26 v Leeds (A). [FB]
[View] Round 14 [20 May 12] W 42-12 v Wakefield (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 2t
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2011 engage English Super League
Salford City Reds
26 games; 11 tries, 2 goals, 48 points.
[View] Round 1 [13 Feb 11] L 12-42 v Crusaders. [BE]
[View] Round 2 [18 Feb 11] L 22-56 v St Helens (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 3 [27 Feb 11] W 32-6 v Wakefield (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 4 [04 Mar 11] L 16-32 v Wigan (H). [F8] 2 Pts; 1g
[View] Round 5 [11 Mar 11] L 12-46 v Leeds (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 6 [18 Mar 11] W 34-18 v Hull KR (H). [CT] 6 Pts; 1t, 1g
[View] Round 7 [26 Mar 11] W 22-10 v Catalans (A). [CT]
[View] Round 8 [02 Apr 11] L 10-16 v Crusaders (H). [CT]
[View] Round 9 [10 Apr 11] L 20-52 v Castleford (A). [CT]
[View] Round 10 [16 Apr 11] W 56-16 v Bradford (H). [CT] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 11 [22 Apr 11] L 0-60 v Warrington (H). [CT]
[View] Round 12 [26 Apr 11] L 22-52 v Huddersfield (A). [CT] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 13 [30 Apr 11] W 34-16 v Harlequins (A). [CT]
[View] Round 14 [13 May 11] L 16-32 v Hull FC (H). [CT] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 15 [29 May 11] L 14-28 v Bradford (A). [CT]
[View] Round 16 [03 Jun 11] W 34-12 v Wakefield (H). [CT] 12 Pts; 3t
[View] Round 17 [12 Jun 11] W 18-16 v Warrington (A). [CT]
[View] Round 18 [17 Jun 11] L 8-15 v Castleford (H). [CT]
[View] Round 19 [24 Jun 11] W 22-18 v Crusaders (A). [CT] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 20 [01 Jul 11] W 26-18 v Harlequins (H). [F8]
[View] Round 21 [08 Jul 11] L 16-52 v Hull FC (A). [CT]
[View] Round 23 [29 Jul 11] L 22-30 v Leeds (H). [F8]
[View] Round 24 [14 Aug 11] L 18-52 v Wigan (A). [F8]
[View] Round 25 [19 Aug 11] W 24-18 v Huddersfield (H). [F8]
[View] Round 26 [02 Sep 11] L 6-31 v St Helens (A). [F8]
[View] Round 27 [11 Sep 11] L 18-44 v Catalans (H). [F8]
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2010 engage English Super League
Salford City Reds
17 games; 3 tries, 6 goals, 24 points.
[View] Round 1 [07 Feb 10] L 12-30 v Hull KR (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 2g
[View] Round 2 [12 Feb 10] L 16-36 v Crusaders (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 2g
[View] Round 3 [19 Feb 10] L 10-22 v Leeds (A). [F8] 2 Pts; 1g
[View] Round 4 [26 Feb 10] L 0-7 v Bradford (H). [F8]
[View] Round 5 [05 Mar 10] L 12-24 v Les Catalans (H). [F8]
[View] Round 7 [21 Mar 10] L 6-36 v Wakefield (A). [BE] 2 Pts; 1g
[View] Round 10 [05 Apr 10] W 30-18 v Huddersfield (H). [F8]
[View] Round 11 [11 Apr 10] L 4-18 v Wigan (H). [F8]
[View] Round 12 [25 Apr 10] L 12-30 v Castleford (A). [F8]
[View] Round 13 - Magic Weekend [01 May 10] L 16-68 v Warrington. [CT] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 14 [15 May 10] W 42-34 v St Helens (H). [BE]
[View] Round 15 [22 May 10] W 22-14 v Les Catalans (A). [BE]
[View] Round 19 [25 Jun 10] L 34-58 v St Helens (A). [BE]
[View] Round 24 [01 Aug 10] L 16-60 v Crusaders (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 25 [15 Aug 10] L 18-44 v Hull KR (H). [F8]
[View] Round 26 [22 Aug 10] L 4-52 v Huddersfield (A). [FB]
[View] Round 27 [05 Sep 10] W 16-12 v Wakefield (H). [FB]
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2009 engage English Super League
Salford City Reds
23 games; 8 tries, 10 goals, 52 points.
[View] Round 4 [06 Mar 09] L 18-48 v Harlequins (H). [WG]
[View] Round 5 [13 Mar 09] L 12-38 v St Helens (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2g
[View] Round 6 [20 Mar 09] L 12-38 v Wigan (H). [WG] 2 Pts; 1g
[View] Round 8 [10 Apr 09] W 18-16 v Warrington (H). [WG]
[View] Round 9 [13 Apr 09] W 30-20 v Leeds (A). [WG]
[View] Round 10 [18 Apr 09] L 6-38 v Les Catalans (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 11 [25 Apr 09] L 14-18 v Hull FC (H). [WG]
[View] Round 12 [02 May 09] L 16-24 v Harlequins. [F8] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 13 [17 May 09] W 24-4 v Huddersfield (A). [F8]
[View] Round 14 [22 May 09] W 18-10 v Bradford (H). [F8]
[View] Round 15 [05 Jun 09] L 18-34 v Wigan (A). [F8]
[View] Round 16 [07 Aug 09] L 16-18 v Les Catalans (H). [HB] 8 Pts; 4g
[View] Round 17 [19 Jun 09] L 12-14 v Hull FC (A). [CT]
[View] Round 18 [26 Jun 09] L 10-34 v Huddersfield (H). [F8]
[View] Round 19 [03 Jul 09] W 20-10 v St Helens (H). [HB] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 20 [11 Jul 09] L 12-25 v Celtic (A). [CT]
[View] Round 21 [17 Jul 09] L 12-18 v Castleford (H). [CT] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 22 [26 Jul 09] L 20-62 v Warrington (A). [CT]
[View] Round 23 [31 Jul 09] L 24-30 v Wakefield (H). [CT]
[View] Round 24 [15 Aug 09] W 26-22 v Harlequins (A). [HB]
[View] Round 25 [21 Aug 09] L 10-14 v Hull KR (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 26 [06 Sep 09] L 18-44 v Bradford (A). [HB] 6 Pts; 3g
[View] Round 27 [11 Sep 09] L 24-30 v Leeds (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
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2007 engage English Super League
Salford City Reds
4 games; 1 tries, 4 points.
[View] Round 16 [01 Jun 07] L 26-27 v St Helens (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 25 [31 Aug 07] L 16-40 v Wigan (A). [F8]
[View] Round 26 [08 Sep 07] L 16-22 v Harlequins (A). [HB]
[View] Round 27 [14 Sep 07] L 26-34 v Warrington (H). [HB]
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Ratchford, Stefan
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