Sensational return for John Bateman after injury

[The Future is League]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/bateman-the-raiders-talisman-as-bulldogs-leave-empty-handed-again-20190601-p51tjb.html

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

Bateman is having a great year which is brilliant for the England team.

However I don’t think Bateman should be playing so soon after surgery to repair a fractured eye socket. Did his return need to be signed off by a doctor? If not perhaps that’s something that should be brought in, we have a duty of care to protect players.

[Copa]

34 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

Bateman is having a great year which is brilliant for the England team.

However I don’t think Bateman should be playing so soon after surgery to repair a fractured eye socket. Did his return need to be signed off by a doctor? If not perhaps that’s something that should be brought in, we have a duty of care to protect players.

A specialist in Sydney gave it the ok.

[fighting irish]

What a great player.

[Whippet13]

Hands up everyone on here who said "he's not big enough for the NRL/England".

[Man of Kent]

The interesting thing to me about Bateman in the NRL is not so much he’s been a huge hit, but that he’s scoring and creating tries.

He was always the most competitive player on the field but now he seems more of a footballer. 

[fairfolly]

And a Bradford lad to boot.

[fairfolly]

Just one of 5 Bradford Academy lads playing in the N.R.L. and for England. The club the majority of posters on here seem to hate.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

44 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

Hands up everyone on here who said "he's not big enough for the England".

I have said he’s not big enough to play in the pack for England, and I still think his size will hold him back at international level. But it’s great to see another English player doing well in the NRL.

[Phil]

3 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

Hands up everyone on here who said "he's not big enough for the NRL/England".

Me, happy to be wrong 

[The 4 of Us]

2 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

I have said he’s not big enough to play in the pack for England, and I still think his size will hold him back at international level. But it’s great to see another English player doing well in the NRL.

If he’s good enough, he’s big enough and as the old saying goes, he’s got a bit of mongrel in him. He’s clearly as tough as they come and if he maintains his current form he’ll be here for years.

[Pulga]

England need to be kicking up a stink about playing the Kangaroos more often.

It's the perfect time to strike while Australia has lost their biggest names and England are looking great.

[jacksy]

4 minutes ago, Pulga said:

England need to be kicking up a stink about playing the Kangaroos more often.

It's the perfect time to strike while Australia has lost their biggest names and England are looking great.

Typical allora response.

[Oxford]

Yes he was very good, as good as I've seen him play!

A little reminder he's an SL product wouldn't do any harm either.

[Rupert Prince]

5 hours ago, fighting irish said:

What a great player.

Don't remind me... and don't remind other Wigan fans either!

[Futtocks]

I always thought he'd do okay, especially as he was going to Canberra. But he's been a spectacular success from game one - better than I expected.

[Northern Eel]

A succession of domestic and international coaches have picked him in their team come rain or shine. That is possibly the best way to determine his ultimate quality.

[Oxford]

5 hours ago, fairfolly said:

The club the majority of posters on here seem to hate.

Sal -Brad  - Ford ......close but no cigar!

 

[Davo5]

Seems to be a massive influence for the Raiders and certainly up there with the best backrowers in the comp and nice to see Sutton going well too'even for a disgruntled Wigan fan !

[DavidM]

Players , certainly the forwards that go , really do seem to step up and improve there in those systems . I never had Bateman , Hodgson or Sutton for three as down as anything like the level they’ve developed . Cooper at saints was highly regarded and above all whitehead has become a total superstar to the point of being virtually the first name on Bennett’s teamsheet now

[Rupert Prince]

3 hours ago, Futtocks said:

I always thought he'd do okay, especially as he was going to Canberra. But he's been a spectacular success from game one - better than I expected.

He has been a class player from the moment he put a first team shirt on.  One comparison would be Betts. As well as all the usual attributes they both have (had) good quick feet.

When you consider that McIlorum Bateman and Sutton are missing and Farrell is injured and Lockers is 68 then it's easy to see why Wigan are flat.

[Cdd]

On 02/06/2019 at 09:14, Man of Kent said:

The interesting thing to me about Bateman in the NRL is not so much he’s been a huge hit, but that he’s scoring and creating tries.

He was always the most competitive player on the field but now he seems more of a footballer. 

 Nothing new to me as a Wigan fan. He always had an eye for the try line and for setting others up.

 

 

[Futtocks]

4 hours ago, Cdd said:

 Nothing new to me as a Wigan fan. He always had an eye for the try line and for setting others up.

For England, he was often guilty of holding on to the ball and not passing, but that wasn't the case for Wigan. Why? Who knows; he certainly doesn't seem to suffer from any lack of confidence in his abilities.

[DavidM]

25 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

For England, he was often guilty of holding on to the ball and not passing, but that wasn't the case for Wigan. Why? Who knows; he certainly doesn't seem to suffer from any lack of confidence in his abilities.

He’s wasted in the centre , I never get that one from Bennett . Centre is a whole different skill set , it’s a very conservative move .Surely that’s over now the form he’s showing ... and with whitehead on the other side . Especially with Sam able to step to 13 . 

[Li0nhead]

On 02/06/2019 at 09:22, fairfolly said:

And a Bradford lad to boot.

Yeah but nobody's perfect.