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Stefan Ratchford

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Stef Ratchford
Personal information
Full nameStefan Guy Ratchford[1]
Born (1988-07-19) 19 July 1988 (age 36)
Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Weight13 st 8 lb (86 kg)[2]
Playing information
PositionFullback, Stand-off, Centre, Scrum-half
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2007–11 Salford City Reds 108 40 29 0 218
2012– Warrington Wolves 332 90 591 2 1542
Total 440 130 620 2 1760
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2011–12 England Knights 2 3 4 20
2016–18 England 6 2 0 0 8
Source: [3][4]
As of 14 April 2023

Stefan Guy Ratchford (born 19 July 1988) is an English rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League and the England Knights and England international at international level.

He previously played for the Salford City Reds between 2007 and 2011 in the Super League and National League One. Throughout his career Ratchford has played as a fullback, wing, centre, stand-off, scrum-half, hooker and loose forward.[3][4]

Background

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Stefan Ratchford was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.

He started playing rugby league at the age of six, initially playing junior rugby for Wigan St Cuthberts before later switching to Wigan St Patricks.[5]

Club career

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Salford Red Devils

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Ratchford signed with Salford City Reds in 2005, and made his first team début for the club in 2007 in a fourth round Challenge Cup match against Gateshead Thunder.[6]

In 2008, following the club's relegation to National League One, Ratchford established himself as a regular first team player. He formed an effective halfback partnership alongside Richie Myler,[5] helping the team win the Northern Rail Cup, and the Division One Grand Final.

Warrington Wolves

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Ratchford (right) playing for Warrington Wolves in January 2012

Ratchford played in the 2012 Challenge Cup Final victory over Leeds at Wembley Stadium.[7][8][9][10]

Ratchford played in the 2012 Super League Grand Final defeat by Leeds at Old Trafford.[11][8]

Ratchford played in the 2013 Super League Grand Final defeat by Wigan at Old Trafford.[12][13][14][15][16]

Ratchford signed a new deal in 2014 keeping him at the Warrington club until 2018.[17]

Ratchford played in the 2016 Super League Grand Final defeat by Wigan at Old Trafford.[18]

Ratchford played in the 2018 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Catalans Dragons at Wembley Stadium.[19] During Warrington's defeat by Wigan in the 2018 Super League Grand Final Ratchford was voted winner of the Harry Sunderland Trophy making him only the fourth recipient of the award to have played for the losing side.[20]

Ratchford played in the 2018 Super League Grand Final defeat by Wigan at Old Trafford.[21]

Ratchford played in the 2019 Challenge Cup Final victory over St. Helens at Wembley Stadium.[22] In round 8 of the 2021 Super League season, he scored a try and kicked 11 goals in Warrington's 62–18 victory over Salford.[23] Ratchford played 28 games for Warrington in the 2023 Super League season as Warrington finished sixth on the table and qualified for the playoffs. Ratchford played in the clubs elimination playoff loss against St Helens.[24] On 28 March 2024, Ratchford set a new goal kicking record in the Super League converting his 40th goal in a row. Warrington would win the match 58-4 over the hapless London side.[25]

In July 2024, Ratchford suffering a fractured eyesocket and jaw during a game against St Helens ruling him out for eight weeks.[26] The injury resulted in him being unable to eat or talk for the first month of his recovery.[27]

International career

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Ratchford was named in the England squad for 2009 Four Nations,[28] but did not appear in any games during the tournament. At the end of the 2011 season, Ratchford rejected a new contract offer from Salford and joined Warrington Wolves.[6] He also made two appearances for the England Knights in 2011 and 2012.

In October 2017 he was selected in the England squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.[29]

Personal life

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In 2015, Ratchford set up a business with former Salford City Reds teammate Matty Smith called Future Stars, which runs coaching sessions for junior rugby league players.[30]

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ "Stefan Ratchford". Companies House. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Stefan Ratchford". rugby-league.com. Rugby Football League. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Ratchford playing for his Salford future". Manchester Evening News. 4 May 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Warrington Wolves complete Stefan Ratchford signing". BBC Sport. 27 July 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Warrington's battered Brett Hodgson recovers to see off Leeds in final". Guardian UK. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Leeds' Kevin Sinfield stars in Grand Final triumph against Warrington". Guardian. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Leeds Rhinos 18–35 Warrington Wolves". BBC Sport. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  10. ^ "Warrington Wolves Are Challenge Cup Winners 2012!". Warrington Wolves Official Site. 25 August 2012. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  11. ^ "Grand Final: Warrington 18-26 Leeds". BBC Sport. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  12. ^ "Super League Grand Final". Super League. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  13. ^ Newsum, Matt (5 October 2013). "Super League Grand Final: Wigan Warriors beat Warrington". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  14. ^ "Super League Grand Final: Warrington v Wigan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Warrington Wolves 16 Wigan Warriors 30". Daily Telegraph. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Wigan see off Warrington in X-rated Grand Final to complete double". Guardian. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Stefan Ratchford has 'unfinished business' at Warrington Wolves". Warrington Guardian. 23 September 2014.
  18. ^ "Warrington 6-12 Wigan: Super League Grand Final – as it happened!". Guardian. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  19. ^ "Catalans Dragons beat Warrington in Challenge Cup final to make history". Guardian. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  20. ^ "Mixed fortunes for Ratchford". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3, 143. 15 October 2018. p. 15.
  21. ^ "Super League Grand Final 2018: Wigan 12-4 Warrington – as it happened". Guardian. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  22. ^ "St Helens 4-18 Warrington RESULT: Challenge Cup Final as it happened from Wembley". Mirror. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  23. ^ "Salford Red Devils 18-62 Warrington Wolves". BBC Sport.
  24. ^ "Highs and lows from Warrington Wolves' 2023 season". www.warringtonguardian.co.uk. 3 October 2023.
  25. ^ "London Broncos 4-58 Warrington Wolves: Two hat-tricks help Wire return to top spot". www.bbc.co.uk.
  26. ^ "Stefan Ratchford: Warrington Wolves captain out for eight weeks". BBC Sport. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  27. ^ "Stefan Ratchford: Warrington Wolves captain reveals injury extent". BBC Sport. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  28. ^ mirror Administrator (17 September 2009). "Salford's Stefan Ratchford the surprise name in England squad". mirror.
  29. ^ "England rugby league World Cup squad revealed - and James Roby is back in the fold". Mirror. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  30. ^ Wilkinson, Phil (28 April 2016). "Smith: We mean business". Wigan Today. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
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