Wigan Warriors youngster Tom Ratchford will gain valuable experience through a loan agreement with League 1 side Rochdale Hornets.
The hooker will join Rochdale for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Ratchford, a former Wigan St Judes amateur, signed his first contract with Wigan’s scholarship program in 2021. He had an impressive 2023 campaign for the club’s academy side, scoring 11 tries in as many matches.
His performances at the club level earned him a call-up to the England Academy in 2023 and a spot in Lancashire’s Academy Origin squad.
Rochdale Hornets chairman Andy Mazey said, “We are delighted to add Tom to the group for the remainder of the 2024 Betfred League 1 season.”
RELATED: Wigan Warriors star hailed as best Englishman in Super League
Wigan Warriors rallied from behind to defeat Huddersfield Giants 28-14, reclaiming the top spot in Super League. The performance of one standout player has led to him being hailed as the best English player in his position.
Facing the pressure of two consecutive losses, Wigan needed a win, and with the score at 8-0 down at halftime, their prospects looked bleak.
Former Wigan player Jake Bibby opened the scoring, but the hosts found their rhythm in the second half, largely thanks to the outstanding play of centre Jake Wardle, who is also a former Huddersfield player.
The 25-year-old has now been praised as the best English centre in the competition by rival head coach Luke Robinson, who previously coached Wardle in Huddersfield’s academy.
Wardle scored a try in the second half and made an impressive 137 meters on just seven carries. Robinson described him as “unbelievable” in an interview with Sky Sports and further emphasized his admiration in his post-match press conference.
Wardle’s length-of-the-field try played a crucial role in shifting momentum back in favor of the champions, with Wigan Warriors gaining momentum after his score in the 47th minute.
Huddersfield’s interim coach, Luke Robinson, highlighted this momentum shift in his post-match comments, declaring Wardle as the “best English centre in the competition at the moment.”
Robinson, who previously coached Wardle in Huddersfield’s academy, expressed his frustration at facing such a talented player, saying, “There was a momentum shift in the second half with Jake Wardle. It infuriates me that he’s playing against us because I think he’s the best English centre in the competition right now. He was in my academy, and in his first game back after a two-year absence, he scored four or five tries.”
Robinson, who transitioned from coaching the Huddersfield academy to becoming Ian Watson’s assistant and now interim coach, has shown interest in securing the permanent role.
Wardle, who left Huddersfield Giants after their impressive 2022 campaign, has thrived at Wigan Warriors. He earned the Harry Sunderland Trophy in last year’s Grand Final and scored the controversial game-winner in the World Club Challenge earlier this year. His standout performances have earned him a five-year deal with Wigan, extending through the end of the 2029 season.
With numerous impressive English centres in Super League, Robinson’s praise for Wardle is a strong endorsement, and it is one that is difficult to dispute.
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