My Ultimate Team: Stefan Ratchford’s best 1-17 including Warrington and England legends

George Riley
Stefan Ratchford Ultimate Team

Stefan Ratchford's Ultimate Team is a real belter!

Warrington Wolves club captain Stefan Ratchford is our latest guest on My Ultimate Team, exclusive to Love Rugby League.

The England international is preparing for another season under Sam Burgess – his 19th season as a pro, with the 36-year-old having become part of the Warrington furniture since his move from Salford in 2011.

Ratchford was a Challenge Cup winner with the Wolves in both 2012 and 2019, winning the League Leaders’ Shield in 2016. He was voted the Harry Sunderland man-of-the match winner in the 2018 Grand Final defeat to Wigan – one of only four players ever to win the award from the losing side.

Last season, Ratchford gave Love Rugby League an exclusive account of the horror injury that left him unable to eat or sleep – he is finally set to make his playing return 6 months later.

Here he selects his 17 of the best players he has lined up alongside during his playing career.

1. Sam Tomkins (England)

We only played a couple of games together but he is the ultimate competitor. One of those players you hate to play against and love to play with. He knows how to rile you up but is a great bloke off the field.

2. Joel Monaghan (Warrington Wolves)

Absolutely prolific. 145 tries in 145 games at Warrington speaks for itself. He was unbelievable in the air and great out of back field.

3. Greg Inglis (Warrington Wolves)

We only had him a short time at the Wire but his reputation in the game speaks for itself.

4. Bryson Goodwin (Warrington Wolves)

This was a tough one as I had a few centres to choose from. He was massively underrated at Warrington, very strong out of back field and that tackle in the 2019 Challenge Cup final was amazing.

5. Ryan Hall (England)

What he has done in the game is unbelievable. He is like an extra forward and has a phenomenal try scoring record.

6. George Williams (Warrington Wolves)

For me he is the best English player in Super League right now. What he does in a game is special. He wins games on his own and some of what he does is magical.

7. Lee Briers (Warrington Wolves)

For a man so slow I’ve never seen a player with so much time on the ball. Every situation he summed up perfectly and picked the right option.

8. Adrian Morley (Warrington Wolves)

Moz was the enforcer and a legend of the game on both sides of the world. What a player and what a man.

9. Daryl Clark (Warrington Wolves)

A tough choice this, but the stuff he could do was something you don’t see in many other hookers. Defensively unbelievable and what a try scorer – he can score 80m tries out of hooker.

10. Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves)

Me and Hilly debuted the same year at Wire and his minutes, workrate, footwork and offload made him one of the best.

11. Sam Burgess (England)

big Sammy, I was lucky to play for England with him and you want him with you not against him. A legend of the game like Moz. Being an NRL Hall of Famer says everything.

12. Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves)

super Benny, it was a toss up between him or Briers as who was the worst trainer. But what he did on the field and his work with and without the ball was something else. A grub that you need in your team. Awful to play against.

13. Sean O’Loughlin (England)

the man who could do everything. Pass, carry, defensively so strong and a great leader.

14. Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves)

We debuted the same year at Warrington. Fit, fast, strong and can play 6, 13, centre, or back row.

15. James Graham (England)

The fittest front row I have played with. Just the person you need and want in your team. Tough and fit as they come, he has done it on both sides of the world. A very funny bloke too.

16. James Roby (England)

An obvious choice, and an unbelievable player for 20 years. I have no idea how he did it year after year.

17. Simon Grix (Warrington Wolves)

Might be a left-field choice but he was so underrated – the most underrated player I played with. He could kick, pass, run and could whack people. The type of player you want with you, a fantastic person too.