He didnt sign a contract

Ha ha ha ha ha ha

So everyone lied?

Are you taking the pi**,Canberra only lost the grand final due to the fact that they were facing the best team in the world,some people don't half talk out of their ars** on here

I know quite a few lads that are living in other countries, not just Australia but the US, and Europe.

I’d say a good 40% of those are making plans to return to the UK on a full time basis when they can once the Covid situation passes.

Most don’t even have kids here but have elderly parents etc and nearly to a man when they left they did so with sadness but knowing the world has become a small place with the air travel available.

Covid has though taught us that the world is still a big place and the realisation has hit a good few of them that if anything were to happen they are a long way away.

Bateman’s relationship with his daughter has been widely documented.

I seriously think prior to this he was looking for a big money move to another NRL team, I wouldn’t be shocked at all that this has hit changed his priorities and if he can make a good living in SL and be close to his family maybe becomes very attractive for him.

Aussie press reporting it’s 2m over 4 years.

I would have though Eric would have learnt from his last disaster in burgess

Are you really turning your nose up at arguably the best second rower in the world just because he left Wigan for a couple of years to play in the NRL?

Oh dear oh dear...

Well it all depends on his shoulder, doesn't it?

This.

Two ops in a year isn’t good for anyone,most on here said as soon as he moved he would start to pick up the serious type of injury over because of his playing style and bingo here we are with him being sidelined with clearly a nasty injury,I think anyone wanting to sign him will proceed with caution now

The shoulder is an issue, but that is what medical assessments are for.

Fox News are reporting that Bateman will sign for Wigan and Jackson Hastings will sign for NZ Warriors. Both announcements to be made in the next few days apparently.
I’ll believe it when I see it.

That's the only feasible way the transfer could work. I wouldn't mind Harry Smith coming straight in to facilitate Bateman

I'd look for a replacement for Hastings to play alongside Smith, someone like Ashley Taylor from Gold Coast, or a returning Blake Green.

Benji Marshall

Sadly we won't have a free marquee space for anyone like Marshall.

Hopefully we manage to keep hold of French then at least we have one other viable option for the halves next year (+ Harry Smith), assuming we will lose Hastings and Tommy.

That will do for me,we need some good news

Why would he have to be a marquee spot?

Is that good news? For me Hastings has the potential to be a much bigger influence on the side than Bateman and if it was a choice of one or the other it would be Hastings. That said I love Bateman and having him back softens the blow of Hastings leaving if true.

For me, I don't want to lose hastings but we know he will be going back to the NRL either this season or next, so if we can get Bateman in to offset the imminent departure I would be happy and not wondering when he is going to exercise his contractual right to walk away. It leaves us able to plan ahead. Bateman might well be on his way to Canterbury or the titans for more cash bit I hope he is homesick

You think we have (probably) £300k free in the salary cap for next year?

Easily if Lockers, Tommy, Gildart, Flower, Escare, Hastings and Burgess are leaving. Whether IL wants to pay it is another question.

Well some of those will have to be replaced, e.g. Gildart, Tommy/Hastings and possibly Flower and Burgess.

Yeah, so why can’t Marshall replace Hastings? Surely Marshalls value is less than Hastings?

Wouldn’t Bateman take Hastings’ salary and marquee spot though?