In todays league express in martyn sadlers page he says that he understands that john bateman had a meeting last week with warrington owner simon moran with a veiw to signing for next season with a transfer fee heading to odsal.

The Bratford fans won't be happy

Is he really that much better than Currie, Laithwaite, Ben Evans and Bridge the Younger?

Difficult to answer that one. How do you compare Myler, Briers, Ratch and GOB ? He looks an older player than his years suggest. He has 'attitude', I suppose you could say he is a bit of a mongrel, in a positive sense. Fearless taking the ball forward. I personally think he may have been over-played by the Bulls as whenever I have watched him he has looked pretty pooped after the ball carry.

Warrington have been after him for some time I think, this is not just the result of Bradfords immediate financial problems.

The big issue and gamble is, how will he develop over the coming 1-2 years ? We have fantastic coaches, and an excellent track record in signing people on (Atkins, Hodgeson, Solo etc). Who am I to second guess the 'talent spotters' ?

I really like his aggressive attitude (dirty play will have to be trained out of him though). That is just my personal preference though.

dont really need him and tbh dont really want him.

Needs to lose the rats tail

What's popular in Yorkshire was popular in the rest of the country in 1982 and when I say popular they were still e

If its true.. he doesnt know about it https://twitter.com/#!/johnbateman1 I think we'll have a lot of articles like this written until the review of the club is complete.

If its true.. he doesnt know about it https://twitter.com/#!/johnbateman1 I think we'll have a lot of articles like this written until the review of the club is complete.

Or more to the point... is he worth paying money for when we have such players coming through anyway?

The lad thinks he's a member of Kajagoogoo. Much rather have Limahl in the P&B than Bateman.

That is an excellent point. The Bradford board believe that Wire offered them £300k, and were turned down. If true, that does seem an awful lot of money for what is still a promising, but unproven player.

Anyway, this is all speculation. I doubt if many people really know what is happening, including 'Well read'.

Rats tail has to go.

One would have to imagine that the people at your club seem to think so if they're willing to shell out what would more than likely be an expensive transfer for a 18 year old instead waiting patiently for the lads you mention to develop and push for a 1st team place.

I personally wouldn't have a clue or could possibly form a reasoned opinion because I haven't seen any of those lads play. How old are they all?

I think Currie played in the same academy team that JB captained. Could be wrong though.

He May just be a bit Shy De Shy....

I hope thats creative journalism or someone is on a wind up, for the next few years at least our 2nd row is going to be Ben Westwood and Trent Waterhouse so where would John Bateman fit in ? You can't pay that sort of money for a bench player.

We already have some good back row prospects in the youth setup so what would this say to them ?

I'd prefer us to stick another £200k on top and bring Sam Tomkins home, as a Warrington supporter as a kid it would surely be his dream to put on the primrose and blue.

To be fair Warrington supporters' opinions of their young upcoming players has always been optimistic.

Go back ten years and there were 'the future is bright' threads on here because we had the likes of Dave Alstead, Steve Maden and Mike Callan coming through the ranks....then it was Durbin and Pickersgill, lots of our signings have had the "do we really need him when we have X coming through..." asked, not least Chris Hicks when we had Kevin Penny coming through

If Smith rates him, I'd be chuffed if we got him. Young, heaps of potential and loads of time to be molded into the player Tony wants him to be.

Limahl had the strange blond and black thing going on. I think it was the bass player who had the rats tail






I 'll get me coat

Well Morely may not be here next year, Solo will surely not be here too much longer and GC is getting on, perhaps TS is thinking of moving someone from 2nd row to prop ?

Also Currie looks exciting but what price him being DR'd to a championship side next year to learn his trade ? Sally also makes a fair point - not all our juniors will make it in SL, but Bateman is already a regular at Bradford.

It is difficult to know what is in TS's thinking, assuming any of these rumours are even true.

Good point about Solo, Bateman being signed surely means Solo out the door at the end of the season.

Hope not,don't need him(Bateman)rather keep Solomona for 1 more year and with Currie learning from the Man himself will surely benefit his game..

Lee Mitchell is also a regular at Caslteford we could take him back for nowt.

Maybe I havent seen Bradford enough and when I have Bateman hasn't dont anything, and thats why i'm not so keen.

when we have blown our youngsters trumpets in the past (so to speak) we havent had a youth set up like todays, where by so many are making the step up to first grade and then younger players step up to keep the reserve team top of the league....if Sally thinks crowing over these youngsters is akin to crowing over Dave alstead and Mike somebody or other its just way off the mark, the current crop of kids are years ahead of anything we've ever produced.....

By the way that doesnt mean we cant poach other teams players, we've had it done to us time after time over the years...

Aye, but this is true of all clubs.

Wigan have had the 'next Great Britain captain' at scrum-half in the u18s every year since about 1997.

The difference is Wigan have produced far more quality since 1997 than we have. So have Leeds, Saints, Hull and Bradford.

thats a big call from flying biscuit who saw Mark Roberts and Mike Gregory come through in the 80s

i did as well and have a tendancy to agree with him, we have good young tallent coming through in so many different positions, it used to be one or two players coming through every few years, harris & sculthorpe spring to mind- one forward one back. now they all give a feeling they could compete in any superleague team in a few years time, if not next season, dwyer is top grade in my opinion, currie looks very good indeed, the list however does not end there! it's good being a wire at the mo, and long may it continue!