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southportcdm wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 1:11 pm I wouldn't want Bateman back at Wigan but he will bring about a short term improvement for them. I know that a lot of our fans don't feel that wire will provide a major threat this season (or next?) because they've flattered to deceive so many times before. However, if they win on Friday (and I think they will) the momentum will be with them for the rest of the season. We'll then have to 'up our game' to win the GF this time around. All this talk in the press, and by some of our fans, about a new era of Wigan domination are premature. We're not that good yet and need to constantly look for improvements both in the squad where possible and in our performances on the pitch. We've done really well to win the WCC, the Challenge Cup and to lead the league but we do need to keep pushing forward to keep the rest at bay.

Couldn't agree more with all of that.

southportcdm wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 1:11 pm I wouldn't want Bateman back at Wigan but he will bring about a short term improvement for them. I know that a lot of our fans don't feel that wire will provide a major threat this season (or next?) because they've flattered to deceive so many times before. However, if they win on Friday (and I think they will) the momentum will be with them for the rest of the season. We'll then have to 'up our game' to win the GF this time around. All this talk in the press, and by some of our fans, about a new era of Wigan domination are premature. We're not that good yet and need to constantly look for improvements both in the squad where possible and in our performances on the pitch. We've done really well to win the WCC, the Challenge Cup and to lead the league but we do need to keep pushing forward to keep the rest at bay.

Truth is though we are 2 years into a period of Wigan dominance it’s fairly simple to me you win pots and lots of them over a period of say a couple of years then yes they are dominating the sport it’s not arrogance or misplaced enthusiasm it’s down to the amount of brasso the cleaners are having to buy recently.

Warrington still look soft to me they’ve had one test this season and failed it miserably against well the team that seems to be winning everything over the last couple of years but they are improving Burgess has surrounded himself with people he clearly trusts and that has to be good for the sport,let’s face it saints recent dominance was in part down to clubs such as Leeds and Wigan being in a rebuild stage and they took advantage of it good on them,Wigan are doing the same but maybe it’ll be a proper two horse race from next season.

Pretty sure Wire will not be covering Bateman's full salary. He's still contracted to Wests.

John Bateman "bust up" revealed as reason SL move came about

JOHN BATEMAN will be a Warrington Wolves player until the end of the 2024 Super League season.

But, where that move came from and why it happened took a lot of people by surprise.

Here was a player that was enjoying life in the pack of Wests Tigers, obviously settled in Australia and doing all he could to lift the Concord club off the bottom of the NRL ladder.

However, a move to Super League came to fruition rather quickly – and here’s why.

NRL360’s James Hooper revealed that Bateman and Wests head coach Benji Marshall had a public bust-up following the Tigers’ 42-28 loss to South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Bateman was criticised by Marshall and told that he would be dropped to reserve grade following sub-par performances, with the former Wigan Warriors forward hitting back against the treatment of senior players.

“There’s been a blow-up since their game against South Sydney on the weekend where he and Benji have had quite a public set-to in front of the other players,” Hooper said.

“He let Benji know in no uncertain terms that he thinks Benji treats the senior players as though they’re rookies and he treats the rookies as though they’re senior players. So, they’ve had a big bust-up.

“Bateman at his best was a damn good player. Let’s be realistic. He hasn’t been at his best and is a smaller edge backrower. Time catches up with every player and I just feel as though he wasn’t going to be able to make an impact in the NRL anymore.

“I think he was going to get dropped off the back of the loss to South Sydney. They led 28-26 he takes a play one carry early in a set, tries a risky offload and then Souths end up getting the ball and they get beat… Benji was giving an honest appraisal of what he thought of John’s performance. John didn’t appreciate it and just went ‘I’ve had enough of this – I am sick of you treating the senior players like we’re kids’.

“And in fairness to the Tigers kids they have been their best players – (Lachlan) Galvin, Fonua Pole, Jahream Bula. They’re all the ones that are actually having a red hot crack so they’ve had a bust up which to me, Braith, reading between the lines says Bateman won’t be back.

https://www.totalrl.com/john-bateman-bu ... ame-about/

Sorry if this has been mentioned already (I can't remember seeing it) but there's a bit in this article that suggests if Bateman doesn't return to the Tigers next season he could be end up at the Bunnies.

I've tried to include the link but will quote the bit from the article below in case it hasn't worked.

https://www.zerotackle.com/tigers-make- ... an-212787/

A coaching change a season ahead of schedule with Benji Marshall taking over has failed to bring any real chance for Bateman in form, and there have been reports this week that he is unlikely to return to the Tigers in 2025, and could instead link up with Wayne Bennett at the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Some of this doesn't align at all. There's suggestions he's coming back to be with his family. And then some about a bust up and not playing well / being dropped. And now the he's going to the Bunnies. Not sure he's going to be 100% focused at the Wires.

KieronC wrote: ↑Fri Jul 26, 2024 2:41 pm Sorry if this has been mentioned already (I can't remember seeing it) but there's a bit in this article that suggests if Bateman doesn't return to the Tigers next season he could be end up at the Bunnies.

I've tried to include the link but will quote the bit from the article below in case it hasn't worked.

https://www.zerotackle.com/tigers-make- ... an-212787/

A coaching change a season ahead of schedule with Benji Marshall taking over has failed to bring any real chance for Bateman in form, and there have been reports this week that he is unlikely to return to the Tigers in 2025, and could instead link up with Wayne Bennett at the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

I’ve read that too. But I’m afraid that when Bateman came back to us, he wasn’t wholeheartedly playing well. He played & behaved, as if he was just filling a gap for a short while & he hardly interacted with the young fans

IMO, he got too big headed & conceited when he got the Dally M forward of the season in his first year at Canberra.

I think partly that, Josie, and also that his stock-in-trade has always been, the small forward punching above his weight. but I don't think you can sustain a long-term successful career doing that.

He looked,for the most part uninterested in his second spell here was he being used correctly I’m not sure but he certainly wasn’t the same player who left the club.

As for this move to wire I can’t help but feel Burgess will get something like his best out of him at least this season as for longer term I would be wary of signing a player who to me wants to settle down under.

But it’s back to the same old thing with Wire, buy people in late season to win.

Yates was supposedly only due next season but low & behold money is exchanged for an early release.
Now the same with Bateman.

We did the same last year with Tyler, don’t know Huddersfield financial status but know Salford were/are struggling