We can stop selling our talent when we have enough money coming into the club to keep it. 2300 season tickets isn't enough.

Fact is we've been skint for years and this is a wake up call just like Wakey have had.

Whether we sell more is down to how much money comes into the club. I hope we got a good fee for Bateman, any news on whether it's cash only or is a player part of the deal? He's gone to a good club and good luck to him. Now's a big chance for the likes of Roberts and Mellor who look good IMO.

As a poster said earlier it's like "back to the 80s" we've no money, struggle to hang onto our best players (Hanley/Ford/Skerrett all over again etc), the tories are in, the charts are crap, what next? Perms coming back in? Keep your chins up people worse things happen at sea.

Stand by for an "I hate Franny Cummins" interview now Bateman's gone to Wigan or at least I hope not.

I'm fully expecting that to happen. Don't think they got on well.

Clearly, it is never great news to lose a young player who has come through the junior ranks and has high potential but it happens to all clubs and I do not believe that Bateman's loss is anywhere near the same level as that of Leon Pryce several years ago for example.

We have to be realistic as it relates to the Bulls position and their ability to keep hold of talent. That said, that was even true in the heady days of consecutive Grand Finals (Ryan Atkins, Stuart Reardon etc.). I see comments that we can not keep hold of talent and using the Burgess brothers and Naughton as examples - frankly no club could have stopped Sam Burgess once Russell Crowe came knocking and then it was only a matter of time before his brothers followed - just compare their life in Sydney to that of Bradford.

We also need to remember that the Bulls is a business and the club and directors need to do whatever they can to keep the club running. Information is not always going to be shared with fans as freely as we would like.

I believe that the Bulls made some progress on the field last year and I am confidant that with the signings that they have made they will make further progress in 2014, even with the loss of Bateman. Attitude and solidarity in the Clubhouse makes a significant difference in any sport {see "worst to first" Boston Red Sox baseball as an example}, and I believe that this is what Cummins is trying to achieve.

Wouldnt surprise me, probably be backed up by his bum chum EW. From what I gather that little group of EW, JB, and Jobs seemed to like the pop a bit to much. Invest in your career, these people want it given to them.

Wouldn't be surprised if there is another departure and possibly another couple of additions to come yet.

The fee for Whitehead I heard was in the 60k range, paid in instalments.

The comments from Radlinski show Wigan understand the problems and the solution. Bit like when Souths got Tom last year and said what they would do to get him up to speed.

Undisclosed fees often are a condition on the buying clubs side. This way other clubs don't know what their ceiling is when they come knocking for players.

Signed last week, before last Friday

Young players will only look good or shine if they are given the chance to play. Unfortunately it's something we seem frightened to do. look how many young players we've lost, given away or shown the door that have since been nurtured and progressed at other clubs! Time will tell!

Not what Kyle says.

It must be just me that thinks this is a great deal for the club.

Bateman has had bags of potential but never warranted the big deal he signed last year. I genuinely can't remember the last time he missed a game and I thought "damn, Bateman could be the difference in this game".

I personally would take Ferguson, Addy and Donno over Bateman, Whitehead and Langley any day of the week.

Money in the bank, more playing time for Olbison, Mellor and Roberts and best of all Wigan and Catalans can deal with the billy big that now sit within their respective squads!!!

As for the moaners and groaners, do us a favour and feck off!!! I'm sick to the back teeth.

If you haven't bought a season ticket cos the club hasn't won anything for years... YOU'RE NOT A FAN!!!
If you haven't bought a season ticket cos Bateman, Whitehead and Naughton have left... YOU'RE NOT A FAN!!!
If you haven't bought a season ticket cos you think you need to be consulted on every decision the club makes... YOU'RE NOT A FAN!!!

If you haven't bought a season ticket because of a genuine reason such as cant afford one, not going to make enough games to make it value for money etc. then fair enough.

As for all the rest, I wish you'd do us a favour and just leave the club and its true fans in peace. I started following the Northern at tough times and kept going for the love of the club. You don't just support a club to win things, you support it for both good and bad times.

Have you thought that the bad vibes from you and the press might be a reason why so many are having their heads turned and jumping ship???

I'd rather have a club full stop than one who has to bend over backwards for both players and fans just to try and keep up with sugar daddy clubs!!!

Get a grip you fecking child.

You talk about the bad vibes convincing fans to stay away and then tell a big section of the fan base they need to feck off and they are not fans.

You couldn't make it up. If you leave it just to the 'true northern fans' then we won't have a club to support at all.

No idea who Kyle is....? But he had signed last week

It's quite possible that the club gave Bateman permission to talk to Wigan before a fee was agreed. Bateman agrees terms (last Friday) but the clubs don't agree a fee until yesterday.

How's the flagellation? Quite painful?!

God forbid that you don't know the ins and outs of every story concerning the club.

Take time to read my post properly and then get back to me when you find where I say that the bad vibes are convincing fans to stay away!!!

and what is the last comment aimed at??? I was making the point that you support a club because you're passionate about the team and not just the glory.

My thoughts exactly.I`ve followed northern?bulls for more than 50 years, nothing is new. If he wants away let him go for as much as anybody will pay. Players like him are disruptive with his moronic tweets. He has great potential but I`ve seen countless who were lauded the best thing since sliced bread who have not fulfilled that potential. What has he actually achieved? Could he be another Gareth Hock (brainless)?? Anyway Shaun Wane won`t put up with his badmouthing on ter etc.

As long as we got a good fee it's good business. If he don't want to be here and has requested multiple times to leave (his mate Elliot probably in his ear). He's flattered to deceive, A good player but certainly no world beater. By his age, Sam Burgess & Andy Farrell were quantum leaps above where he'll ever be. He's too small to be a great forward and will be a run of the mill super league player (if this backfires I will be happy to congratulate the lad and eat humble pie by the spoonful...cos he's certainly got talent)

I heard 2 or 3 month back that FC suspended Bateman because he got caught driving when he didn't have a licence.I don't know if this is definately true,it may or may not be.I didn't put it on here at the time because negative gossip is not needed.With today's developments I'm wondering if this is true and this is one of the reasons Bateman and Cummins didn't get on.

If somebody in the know says all this is a load of tripe I will be happy to accept that

Yeah, I misread that bit.

You were making the point that the fans who aren't in your elite club should leave the real supporters in peace. Don't buy into this 'true fans' rubbish. The club needs its supporters regardless of why they want to watch the bulls.

I've not bought a season ticket yet, and I probably won't this year. I don't really care if you think I am a true fan or not but I feel telling me to feck off is a bit harsh tbh. We all want the same for the club at the end of the day, doesn't mean we have to defend every decision the club makes.

Not too disappointed, my concern was he was getting injury prone also noted by Wigan but they feel they can overcome that with a new training regime for him, best of luck on that score. Also a big silence from the NRL Clubs who were looking at him in 2011 as a potential player, I think they also have had doubts about him, picking up injuries the way he has.
In light of that and that he wants out, good business by the Club he was also becoming disruptive looking at some the silly stuff on twitter. We were all upset at Fielden leaving for Wigan but he never set the world on fire from then on. I'm not going to get all upset and hysterical (like the Taliban muppets) just accept that its a done deal and move on and keep supporting the Club!!

Great potential that may or not develop. Serious injuries that may or not affect his full recovery. Could be good business for Bulls.
To the people that have not already bought their season ticket I say - think about whether it is your fault he has gone.