According to the reliable Mr Parker in today's paper, the above teams are battling to prise away John Bateman. Apparently he has 12 months left on his deal but neither club have offered enough so far..

I was under the impression he had signed until the end of 2015?

He did. [url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/9967302.Bateman_signs_new_Bradford_Bulls_deal/Clicky[/url

Unless the barny he had regarding wages earlier in the year was the final straw, from what I'm told all he's wanted to do was play for Bradford.

Hudders are remarkably keen on players we've developed aren't they?

If we don't sell more season tickets then I can see Bateman being let go to make ends meet. Wakey have had to do it and so could we.

Surely rather than pay a fee, Huddersfield will tap him up illegally, then wait for an opportunity for him to break his contract and leave that way?

Erm...allegedly.

I suspect this is what Mick was referring to when he tweeted this about a week ago:

Mick Gledhill ‏@TheGameCaller 25 Oct

I love it when the vultures start to circle thinking they can aquire things below market value. Not happening. Happy #RLWC2013 Day Everyone.

That won't happen this time. There's no player for Huddersfield to illegally sack to make room under the salary cap

They could unload Kopcrap.

It's true.

Ross Heppenstall just tweeted "John Bateman has been sold to Wigan for an undisclosed fee in a shock move after handing in a transfer request."

Oh FFS!!!!!!!!!

Just depressing and reflective of how far we have fallen down.

One would hope that it can act as a "Newlove" move and be a catalyst for re-building.

Just great.
And why undisclosed? Does that mean we got eff all?

Story on the bulls website. I can't be bothered linking, that'll really boost the season ticket sales.....

Shouldn't be surprised, and to be perfectly honest I don't blame him, with how the club has been run in the time Bateman has been coming through. He's pretty much only known a shambles and he has so much potential, so it's no surprise he'd rather play for Wigan, or that we'd take the cash to make ends meet. Just wish he'd not said that guff about only wanting to play for home town club.

Cr@p news. But good luck john.

Good Luck?

koppy
Whitehead
bateman

3 Bradford lads - 3 utter w****rs.

Looking to the only positives we seem to keep developing great youngsters, we just need to create an environment they want to stay in.

Convenient how they managed to not release news of sale until after early bird deadline had passed, minimizing negative effect on season ticket sales. And get fans forum out of way too to avoid any awkward questions.

I'm in agreement!

Just another also-ran club, who will be in the position of 'seller' when there is a market for an asset of value. Can not see much light at the end of the tunnel, even taking a big picture view there is little on the horizon to be cheerful about.

Bateman is a professional and there can be no blame apportioned to someone who want the best for themselves. Being at the Bulls most have seemed like a dead end for a player with international/NRL ambitions. That is the sad truth.

Likewise

Players are NOT fans. They are paid professionals. It is unfair to judge them in relation to how we as supporters may feel. It is at the end of the day, a business, to both player and club.

Disappointing but not entirely surprising given where we are as a club and our likely finances. I would have preferred to have seen a player plus cash deal if possible but perhaps the cash was more attractive to the club right now?

Certainly isn't positive news that we needed though, people will look at this as another Bradford lad brought through that is sold to balance the books. The fact that the fee is undisclosed isn't necessarily a bad thing if we intend to spend some of the proceeds.. but if I'm honest I can't see us paying much out in the way of transfer fees to replace him.

Kopczak and Whitehead I agree, wouldn't out Bateman in that Catergory. Whitehead and Kopczak walked out on the club. Bateman stood by us in difficult times, and has left in the off-season.

Whether we like it or not, we have not made the play-offs the last 5 years. Wigan have just won the double. When your player wanting international honours, we struggle to compete.

Agree x 3

I wish Bateman was a Professional because he's been far from it in the last couple of seasons. Good luck Wigan , you could well need it.
On the upside, at least he'll have new people to have drunken fights with in Wigan.

I think that's right, the Bulls would most likely have not wanted to take on the salary from any player exchanged. Any Wigan player worth swapping would be on decent money and the funds may be needed elsewhere.