I don't know if recruiting in the reserve grade NRL, or the championship, means Wires standards have descended, is a reflection that better quality half-backs are struggling to get game time with prestige clubs, is a reflection on overall standards of SL or a combination of factors but I know this, and I said it months ago:
Bridge & Ratchford, as a combination and on 2014 form, are the equal of any half-back partnership in SL.
Wigan, Leeds, Saints, Cas you name anyone you want I wouldn't swop their half-backs for B & R.
The advantage these teams have is that they have settled on their best combo and stuck with it. They have endured some rough spells, some hammerings and some poor form but they stuck with it. We have continued to tinker - even when we were in the midst of a superb unbeaten run and playing excellent rugby, we couldn't resist the urge to break the partnership up to accomodate others.
I repeat - irrespective of whether we bring an NRL reserver grader in, an NRL superstar, a championship protege or whether we stick with what we have, we need to decide who is our combination and have the courage to stick with it for a prolonged spell, to prove once and for all if certain players are up to it.
