It's time for the second part of my 2019 Warrington Squad Rankings, where I am positioning every single player to have donned the primrose and blue this season, from worst to best. Part Two features positions 17-6...
These rankings are based on my personal opinions and how I've viewed the players' performances this season, and how I feel they have performed against expectation of their own individual standards. This countdown forms three parts, eventually culminating in the announcement of my top five players of the 2019 season.
For anyone who missed part one, you can catch it here. Eliminated in the first part were Matty Smith, Luther Burrell, Pat Moran, Riley Dean, Luis Johnson, Jack Johnson, Lama Tasi, Harvey Livett, Declan Patton, Josh Thewlis, Ryan Atkins, Danny Walker and Ben Westwood.
These rankings are based on my personal opinions and how I've viewed the players' performances this season, and how I feel they have performed against expectation of their own individual standards. This countdown forms three parts, eventually culminating in the announcement of my top five players of the 2019 season.
For anyone who missed part one, you can catch it here. Eliminated in the first part were Matty Smith, Luther Burrell, Pat Moran, Riley Dean, Luis Johnson, Jack Johnson, Lama Tasi, Harvey Livett, Declan Patton, Josh Thewlis, Ryan Atkins, Danny Walker and Ben Westwood.
Now, on with Part Two...
17) BEN MURDOCH-MASILA
TOP STAT:
Murdoch-Masila played 28 times this season, but only seven of those were starts.
In my opinion, Murdoch-Masila has been largely disappointing in 2019. He has reserved his best performances for the big occasion, with a terrific stint from the start in the Challenge Cup Final. While he has clearly been managing injuries at times this year, there has to be questions about his work-rate in certain games, with the Tongan making just 17 metres in 40 minutes at Wigan away. I hope we start to use him correctly, as a second rower rather than a prop, and to be fair there have been signs of that recently, with him starting in the second row a few times towards the end of the season.
16) SITALEKI AKAUOLA
TOP STAT:
Akauola didn't appear until Round 12, but from then only missed two Super League games for the rest of the season.
Akauola was one of a few players who got a contract extension during the 2019 season. A fierce runner and a strong hitter, the forward was completely frozen out at the start of the campaign, but came in for Hull KR away on Easter Monday and scored on his first appearance of the year, before bagging another try against Catalans in June. The main issue with him is his inability to do big minutes, he'd be a far more valuable player if we could get bigger stints out of him.
15) JASON CLARK
TOP STAT:
Clark played every away game in 2019 - though both of his tries this season came at home.
I have to admit I've been very disappointed with the signing of Jason Clark. Despite arriving with a huge reputation and a large wage, he has looked nothing more than ordinary and has shown very little to suggest that he is the answer to our problems in the forward pack. He has some good handling and is a solid enough tackler, but makes a few errors too and for the money he's on, I'd be expecting a fair bit more. He's looked at his best when getting a run of consistent games at loose forward, but he was absolutely dire in the Castleford defeat last week.
14) JAKE MAMO
TOP STAT:
Four of Mamo's ten tries in 2019 came against Castleford - including two against the Tigers in his first Wire start.
Another new signing for 2019, Mamo has shown himself to be a dangerous outlet in front of the tryline, and is a good utility back who can play as a full back, a winger or even a centre. He made a superb start to his Wire career, bagging three tries in his first two games, though a period of injury meant that his next spell in the side was at full back. He started well there, but suddenly became extremely shaky and nervous under the high ball, which became a theme in the second half of his season. His pace is probably the best in the team and he is a very good finisher, but defensively he is poor and makes too many needless errors - I still think there's a player in there though who could be useful and all in all, it's been an okay first season at the club. It will be interesting to see what his role is next year - a starter at centre perhaps, backup full back and winger or maybe even an interchange?
13) BEN CURRIE
TOP STAT:
All six of Currie's tries in 2019 came against Yorkshire teams - two against Hull FC and one against Huddersfield, Hull KR, Castleford and Wakefield.
Currie was one of the hardest players in the whole squad to rank. After two big injuries, it was always going to be hard for him to instantly rediscover his best form. As the year has gone on, I believe he has got better and better, with superb displays in the Cup run, as well as being the best player in the playoff defeat to Castleford. He has certainly lost some of his pace and tackling reliability though, with too many missed tackles leading to tries, particularly on the back of quick passing moves. Largely, his comeback year has been satisfactory, and there have been a few signs of him getting back to his best. I wouldn't be against seeing Currie move into the centres, or even to loose forward next season.
12) JACK HUGHES
TOP STAT:
Hughes made his highest yardage count in the final game of the season against Castleford - 111 metres.
Just in front of Currie is his partner in the second row, Jack Hughes. The co-captain has had a solid, if unspectacular season. He hasn't hit his 2018 levels of form in my opinion, but has still been fairly reliable. There's no doubt over his effort, which is arguably the best in the team, but we could perhaps do with a little more in terms of attack from him. A very good defender though and one of the most consistent tacklers we have. I have no issue with him continuing in the second row next year, though I'm not sure how I'd feel about him carrying on as co-captain.
11) CHRIS HILL
TOP STAT:
Hill made his 250th appearance for Warrington in June's defeat to St Helens - of the 2019 squad, only Ben Westwood has played more times.
It's another co-captain next in the countdown, with Chris Hill just missing out on a place in the top ten. Hill's effort is outstanding and no-one plays the game harder than him. As always, his metre-making has been among the best in the squad this season, though the main criticism of him in 2019 has been his discipline. Too many penalties have been conceded and while this has got better as the year has gone on, it is not something that can continue into 2020. Overall, he has had an okay season, but you get the feeling he is possibly approaching the final days of his Wire career. We lose plenty of games in the forwards battle and his on-field discipline isn't good enough. He's still a fine prop, though like with Hughes, I question his captaincy greatly. I'm very pleased that this year saw him win his first trophy as skipper though.
10) TOM LINEHAM
TOP STAT:
With 12 tries to his name, Lineham was Wire's third-highest scorer in the 2019 season, though just four of those came at the Halliwell Jones.
Kicking off the top ten is Wire's number two, Tom Lineham. It has been a fairly solid season for Lineham. 12 tries is a respectable tally and he has improved elements of his defensive game, particularly carrying the ball from his own line. Where he has not excelled has been in his on-field discipline. I refer partly to his suspensions, which he has missed four games through. There have also been numerous instances of downright stupidity on the field, including daft penalties and needlessly rushing off his line, which has led to us conceding more than a few tries over the course of the year. On the positive side, it looked for all money that this would be his last year in a Warrington shirt, but signing a new three-year contract in April has secured his future for the foreseeable. I'd like to see him under more pressure for his place next year from Mamo and Thewlis, as well as new signing Matty Ashton.
Kicking off the top ten is Wire's number two, Tom Lineham. It has been a fairly solid season for Lineham. 12 tries is a respectable tally and he has improved elements of his defensive game, particularly carrying the ball from his own line. Where he has not excelled has been in his on-field discipline. I refer partly to his suspensions, which he has missed four games through. There have also been numerous instances of downright stupidity on the field, including daft penalties and needlessly rushing off his line, which has led to us conceding more than a few tries over the course of the year. On the positive side, it looked for all money that this would be his last year in a Warrington shirt, but signing a new three-year contract in April has secured his future for the foreseeable. I'd like to see him under more pressure for his place next year from Mamo and Thewlis, as well as new signing Matty Ashton.
9) TOBY KING
TOP STAT:
King missed just four Super League games all season, and Wire only won one of those matches.
King has had a really interesting season. He started the season in the second row but was moved into the centres in Round Five and stayed there for the rest of the year. He has been largely very good and consistent, firmly cementing his place on the edge alongside Josh Charnley. My main criticism of King is that I feel he lacks the passing game to be a top centre, he struggles to bring his winger into play and draw a player. The main positives of King's game in 2019 have been his scoring - nine tries is reasonable and he has popped up in big games - including one in the Challenge Cup Semi Final. Furthermore, he has been pretty good defensively, keeping Oliver Gildart quiet each time we have played Wigan. Kicking high in King's direction has become Wire's main strategy when in sight of the tryline - though that is more an indictment on Steve Price's useless tactics than Toby King's abilities. A good season for King, let's see if he can improve his passing and drawing in 2020.
King has had a really interesting season. He started the season in the second row but was moved into the centres in Round Five and stayed there for the rest of the year. He has been largely very good and consistent, firmly cementing his place on the edge alongside Josh Charnley. My main criticism of King is that I feel he lacks the passing game to be a top centre, he struggles to bring his winger into play and draw a player. The main positives of King's game in 2019 have been his scoring - nine tries is reasonable and he has popped up in big games - including one in the Challenge Cup Semi Final. Furthermore, he has been pretty good defensively, keeping Oliver Gildart quiet each time we have played Wigan. Kicking high in King's direction has become Wire's main strategy when in sight of the tryline - though that is more an indictment on Steve Price's useless tactics than Toby King's abilities. A good season for King, let's see if he can improve his passing and drawing in 2020.
8) STEFAN RATCHFORD
TOP STAT:
Ratchford only scored four tries this season, his lowest tally for a season in his eight years at Warrington.
I found it hard to rate Ratchford's season. He has certainly been one of our better players and at his best, he's been sensational, but I can't help but feel that the former Salford man's 2019 has fallen a little short of his (admittedly very high) standards. There's no doubt that we missed him hugely during his injury and his ability to join the line and play a killer pass is brilliant, and upon returning from his mid-season injury he brought a bit of invention to the attacking structure, but there have been some issues with his performances too. Is a return of four tries good enough from someone we consider to be one of our main attacking threats, particularly when you consider the most recent of the four was on 4th April? However, my main concern with Ratchford is his occasional defensive meltdowns when facing one-on-ones - St Helens and Wigan away spring to mind. I have wondered for a while if full back is actually Ratchford's best position - I know he has played there for a while but for me his positional sense isn't great. His goal-kicking has been very successful and largely he has been pretty good but 2019 certainly hasn't been the best season of Ratchford's stint at Wire.
I found it hard to rate Ratchford's season. He has certainly been one of our better players and at his best, he's been sensational, but I can't help but feel that the former Salford man's 2019 has fallen a little short of his (admittedly very high) standards. There's no doubt that we missed him hugely during his injury and his ability to join the line and play a killer pass is brilliant, and upon returning from his mid-season injury he brought a bit of invention to the attacking structure, but there have been some issues with his performances too. Is a return of four tries good enough from someone we consider to be one of our main attacking threats, particularly when you consider the most recent of the four was on 4th April? However, my main concern with Ratchford is his occasional defensive meltdowns when facing one-on-ones - St Helens and Wigan away spring to mind. I have wondered for a while if full back is actually Ratchford's best position - I know he has played there for a while but for me his positional sense isn't great. His goal-kicking has been very successful and largely he has been pretty good but 2019 certainly hasn't been the best season of Ratchford's stint at Wire.
7) MATT DAVIS
TOP STAT:
Davis wasn't included in the matchday squad for the last four fixtures of 2019, though made 19 Warrington appearances over the course of the year.
One of the most baffling points of 2019 has been Davis' exclusion from the squad at the back end of the season. There has been no news of an injury, so it seems surprising that a player who was playing so well has been frozen out. Davis was one of 2019's new additions and didn't appear for the first eight games of the season, being loaned out to former team London Broncos, before making his Wire debut against the capital club. He played at prop or loose forward in stints from the bench, but also started five games. The 23-year-old forward was very impressive with his endeavour and tackling ability, quickly earning himself admirers among the Wire crowd. He might have been a budget signing, but he has been a very good one, and proof that there is quality to be found in the Championship for low prices. I hope to see more of him next season because he has hardly put a foot wrong in his maiden year at Warrington - it's just a shame the final part of it was so barren in terms of time on the pitch.
One of the most baffling points of 2019 has been Davis' exclusion from the squad at the back end of the season. There has been no news of an injury, so it seems surprising that a player who was playing so well has been frozen out. Davis was one of 2019's new additions and didn't appear for the first eight games of the season, being loaned out to former team London Broncos, before making his Wire debut against the capital club. He played at prop or loose forward in stints from the bench, but also started five games. The 23-year-old forward was very impressive with his endeavour and tackling ability, quickly earning himself admirers among the Wire crowd. He might have been a budget signing, but he has been a very good one, and proof that there is quality to be found in the Championship for low prices. I hope to see more of him next season because he has hardly put a foot wrong in his maiden year at Warrington - it's just a shame the final part of it was so barren in terms of time on the pitch.
6) JOSH CHARNLEY
TOP STAT:
With an impressive 17 tries, Charnley finishes the year as Wire's second-highest scorer, though only five of those tries came after Easter Monday.
Just missing out on a place in the top five is flying winger Josh Charnley, who crossed the whitewash 17 times for Wire this season. There's no doubt over his scoring capabilities, but it was bizarre how dramatic the drop-off in the regularity of his scoring was as the season went on. He was obviously completely starved of service and the ball hardly ever went out wide. To finish the year with 17 is very good considering he rarely received the ball from his centre and was often tasked with a lot of hard work defensively and in yardage too. His metre-making from his own tryline has been terrific all year and he has been one of our most consistent performers in 2019 - a very good season overall for the former Wigan man.
Just missing out on a place in the top five is flying winger Josh Charnley, who crossed the whitewash 17 times for Wire this season. There's no doubt over his scoring capabilities, but it was bizarre how dramatic the drop-off in the regularity of his scoring was as the season went on. He was obviously completely starved of service and the ball hardly ever went out wide. To finish the year with 17 is very good considering he rarely received the ball from his centre and was often tasked with a lot of hard work defensively and in yardage too. His metre-making from his own tryline has been terrific all year and he has been one of our most consistent performers in 2019 - a very good season overall for the former Wigan man.
Still to come: Blake Austin, Daryl Clark, Mike Cooper, Bryson Goodwin, Joe Philbin.
And there we have it! We started with thirty but now, only five remain. In a few days time, I'll be revealing the top five and completing the countdown with the third part of this series. Make sure to check back to find out who finishes top of my 2019 rankings. Let me know your thoughts on my rankings in the comments or get in touch with the blog on Twitter @aloosewire - plenty more season review content to come!
Daniel (@aloosewire)
And there we have it! We started with thirty but now, only five remain. In a few days time, I'll be revealing the top five and completing the countdown with the third part of this series. Make sure to check back to find out who finishes top of my 2019 rankings. Let me know your thoughts on my rankings in the comments or get in touch with the blog on Twitter @aloosewire - plenty more season review content to come!
Daniel (@aloosewire)
I agree that some of our best players have been under par this year because of the useless tactics by price
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