For the First time in 2022, It's Matchweek and what a blockbuster of a night we have coming up from Adam Hills PDRL team getting ready to face the Wigan Warriors PDRL team to the main event in Stefan Ratchford's testimonial game vs Wigan which is his boyhood club. Stef started his rugby career in Wigan at Wigan St Cuthberts at the age of seven before getting a Scholarship at the Salford City Reds at the age of 15. Stef joined Warrington in 2012 after his three year spell at Salford wanting to make a difference from the start and he sure did that. In his first year at the club, he won the Challenge Cup and guided Warrington to their first Grand Final in decades. Stef, scored 16 tries with three conversions in his 22 appearances that year and was awarded his first England cap when England played the Exiles and lost 32-20. In his 10 year spell at the club, Ratchford has made 277 appearances for Warrington and has tallied up 1,194 points in the 10 year spell at the club with him scoring 83 tries, converting 430 goals and scoring two drop goals. This has made Stefan Ratchford a key player for Warrington and places him in the club's top 10 all time point scorers which include the likes of Brian Bevan and Lee Briers. In Stefan's debut season, he crossed the Try line 16 times which is the highest amount of tries scored by one player at Warrington and nearly matched that in 2018 when he scored 15 tries...
The team that starts the game on Saturday, will be the team that starts the opening game of the season vs Leeds Rhinos on the 12th Februarys as stated by new coach Daryl Powell back when this game was announced all depending on Injuries or Covid issues. Powell has named a strong squad for Saturday's game with the likes of new signings, Peter Mata'utia, Oliver Holmes and Joe Bullock in the 22 man squad. There are a couple of notable absentees with three of Warrington's new signings injured, James Harrison and Greg Minikin both have ACL problems with Billy Magoulias having an operation on his ankle, hopes to be back by Round 5-7. Also, No Toby King or captain Jack Hughes in the squad with Toby having a leg injury and Jack having a wrist issue, both ain't confirmed as of yet and both to be a doubt for that first game vs Leeds come the 12th. There are unlimited amount of people required on the bench for a friendly so Players can dust off some cob-webs with the upcoming season edging ever closer so I can see all 22 players getting game time on Saturday. George Williams and Gareth Widdop are both in the squad for Saturday's game after a few week pre season to gel more and get to grips with how coach Daryl Powell wants them to play. Fans should be excited too see youngsters; Ellis Longstaff, Riley Dean, Connor Wrench and Josh Thewlis all through Warrington's academy and fans were really impressed with Josh Thewlis, Connor Wrench and Ellis Longstaff all getting a decent amount of game time under Steve Price which will do them a lot of good with the season's ahead.
On the other hand, Wigan have put up a very strong team for Saturday's game as they have quality all over the park with new signings, Cade Cust, Patrick Mago, Kaide Ellis, Abbas Miski and Iain Thornley coming into the side. They have made a lot of changes from their 42-12 win over Newcastle Thunder on Saturday afternoon from having a team full of youngsters to a team full of class and skill for Saturday's game. NRL signings, Cade Cust and Patrick Mago are coming with high expectations to fill in the spaces for fan favorite Jackson pursuing a contract down at Wests Tigers with Ex Wigan team-mate and England International Oliver Gildart going to Wests' with him. This will be new coach, Matt Peet's last chance to get a look at his side and get them ready for their first game away at Hull KR live on Sky Sports so this game is crucial for Matt Peets men for what they have coming up in the coming months.
My predictions for the game is a tough one because we've seen one of the teams play their full squads or not played at all so it will be really interesting to see how it all plans out but I'm going to go for a Warrington win and them to win by 10.
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