Can't remember seeing this lad play. Personally I'd rather see us continuing to promote from within. Ben Currie has been very good, James Laithwaite is another destined for SL. Leave Bradford to sort out their problems imo.

At one point against widnes, over half our team were home grown academy products so we're doing plenty there.

As for Bateman, if Smith feels he's good enough, and we have the means, let's go and get him. It gives me no pleasure to take advantage of Bradford's predicament but they are the architect of their own misfortune there. Moreover, leaking this to the press is an attempt to push the price up. Perfectly understandable.

Besides, when we were skint, Saints and Leeds didn't care about taking Harris and Sculthorpe. We're in the winning business.*

*and cousin, business is a boomin'

I want to see Warrington attract and secure the best young talent in the game, If they come through our system that's brilliant news- if we have to go and buy them too so be it!

If selling Bateman means that they will survive surely Bradford fans would want to have a team to support even if they lose somebody of Bateman's talent and potential

If Bateman, Currie and Laithwaite are seen as the best 3 back rowers in the future game, surely it makes sense for Wire to tie up all 3 now, so far we have 2 of them.

People like to go on about our dads army but i think we have some really exciting kids coming through.

Just looking at our team in a few years

1. Ratchford
2. Riley
3. R.Evans
4. Atkins
5. Hellewell
6. O'Brien
7. Myler
8. B.Evans
9. Dwyer
10. Broughton
11. Currie
12. =#FF0000Batemanpossible
13. Laithwaite

and that's just the younger ones, missing out some of our regulars like Hill, Grix, Harrison, Cooper, Blythe, Tyke and Bridge.

I'd fancy that team to beat a few SL teams right now so god knows how good they'll be in the future.

Also Bridge's brother looks to be a talent, Mendieka, Shaw, Burke,etc. Warrington are looking to be in a good place with the current crop of talent available for the upcoming seasons

I know, scary stuff, good job we don't have a salary cap at Wire

If management were to treat their players so ruthlessly as you suggest, the team moral would disappear very quickly and believe me its superb these days. That poor attitude is the old Wire. If you saw the Super League Supermen with Mark Forster, you may recall his observations on his treatment at the hands of clumsy management.
If Bateman is worthy then fine, buy him, but not at the expense of others or the team ethic. And as far as I can see, the youth are doing remarkably well, its the way to go.

I think Morley may leave at the end of the season whether we get Bateman or not.

I agree with you and think that Morley will be off at the end of this season by mutual agreement. I know that this is a phrase that is sometimes used to paper over a fall out, but, in this case, if he goes it will be a joint, grown up decision.

A year at Salford to rally their troops...?

Is he really that good?

You're shaping up to become the Bulls that could've been. Atkins, Bridge, Helliwell, maybe Bateman...

Maybe you should produce an away kit in red, amber and black???

As other people have said any transfer fee we will pay will go towards saving the bulls from liquidation and in return we get a player who is touted to be one of the best young players in the Super League. If Smith sees him as better than who we've got (laithwaite) then why wouldn't we sign him? im sure he would turn out to be a very good squad player in 2013 and then as he matures i'm sure he will be playing for England within a few years.

I dont understand this (even if it were Wigan i wouldnt understand it). Hes an uncapped, 18 year old back rower - hes not THAT good, he has potential, but surely there are better players to throw daft money at. I wouldnt dream of having my marquee player as a back rower ever.

If i were Wire i'd spend the money on "strike" positions, a prop to replace Morley? Greg Eden at Shudds? I just dont see Bateman at 150K a year doing something that the likes of Blythe and the other young back rower (blonde haired lad) can do?

..whereas at one time the Bulls had a few 'Wire did not wannabes': Toa Kohe Love, Iestyn Harris.

Who says we are throwing daft money at him? For all we know the 'alledged' 2 bids could have been £5k and £10k!!!

Whats a salary cap ?

i think it looks something like this.

It can't look like that !!!

It hasn't gone up for a while so it must be a flat cap surely ??????

Not seen Laithwaite , is he highly rated ?

See PY's comments in the '2012 squad' sticky at the top.

He's a fantastic talent who would be a superb signing, but for the good of the league, I'd prefer him to stay at Bradford. Youth systems across the country have made great strides recently, and keeping young talent is vital to make clubs more competitive. I for one wouldn't want to see a repeat of 10-15 years ago, where all the best players ended up at the top 4 (e.g. Sculthorpe and Harris).

Greg Eden at Shudds: are you having a laugh?

Where were all these people who rate him so highly when he was struggling to get a game for Castleford's u20s?

Bateman is a number of classes above Eden.

As for our other "young back rower"; did you mean strawberry blond?

From what I've seen of the lad, he looks good. BUT, do we really need to spend big, on "the next Paul Sculthorpe".
Joe Westerman had that title foisted on him a couple of years back, and he's hardly "torn up trees", since.
We have 2 internationally rated second rowers at the mo, with ample back up, and (apparently) very good youngsters.
This smells like a bit of a waste of dosh to me
We have Morley and Wood nearing the end of their careers, and Carvell not getting any younger (and with a blip in form). I'd suggest we spend Mr Moran's money elsewhere

Have we really made a bid, or is it just Peter Hood and the Bradford Board trying to wind people up to get a bigger fee?