JAMES BATCHELOR certainly knows how to time things right.
The forward probably had a spot in the team of his hometown club Wakefield Trinity for the rest of his career if he wanted it.
But he made the decision to switch at the end of the 2022 season, after 96 appearances for the Belle Vue club, to Hull KR.
At the time, Batchelor said: “I’m at that point in my career where it’s not only about playing consistently, week-in week-out, but challenging myself and getting out of my comfort zone.”
It wasn’t an obviously upward move, with the Robins at that time not very far ahead of Trinity.
But they had a new Australian coach lined up to take charge in Willie Peters and a vision, on and off the field, that was absent at Wakefield until relegation and a takeover came at the end of the following season.
“It came at the right time,” says the now 27-year-old of joining Hull KR.
“I’m happy to see where Wakey are now. It’s what the supporters and the people behind the scenes deserve, for the club to be improving and moving forward like it is.
“At the time I left, it didn’t look like it was going to happen, that they’d kick on and things would change.
“It was the right move from a rugby point of view more than anything else, and it’s definitely turned out like that.
“I’ve loved it since the first day I walked through the door and moved over to Hull. I haven’t looked back.
“We love the place; we’re settled over here and love the city. I feel very happy with where I am, in rugby and in life.”
While Wakefield’s slide down the table continued until landing in the Championship, Hull KR quickly took flight under Peters.
His first season brought a trip to Wembley, losing the Challenge Cup final in golden-point extra time to Leigh Leopards.
They also reached a Super League play-off semi-final and then went even better in 2024 by playing in a Grand Final for the first time, ultimately defeated by Wigan Warriors.
Now Batchelor and many of his team-mates are looking forward to a third showpiece game in as many seasons – a sure sign of the club’s progress, but with the real goal of a trophy still elusive.
“It’s really good to be part of a group where that (winning silverware) is the ambition, you feel it’s definitely achievable and everyone’s on board with it,” Batchelor explains.
“That is definitely the aim, we made no bones about it. We need to start winning trophies now and have things to show for these good seasons.”
Warrington Wolves stand in their way this time at Wembley but having reached at least the semi-finals in every competition since Batchelor joined – including beating the Wire in last year’s play-offs – he sees a group at ease with the major occasions.
“When the big games come around, the sessions lift and we have some good, upbeat sessions,” he adds.
“In the first couple we had – the Challenge Cup semi-final and final in 2023 – it was new to a lot of us and people were probably speaking about it as a big game.
“Now we know it’s a big game and we don’t need to speak about it. We just get on with it. Everyone does their job and lifts another level.”
They have the calibre; they have the experience and they have the confidence.
It’s just the right time, perhaps, to end the club’s 40-year trophy wait.
