Nothing else needs to be said.

That lad won't take a backward step in any situation.

In the second half in particular, he launched a non-stop one-man assault against the Castleford line which had them on the back-foot repeatedly.

If he isn't a shoe-in for Man of Steel this year, there's something badly wrong.

He is terrific. And, crucially, he's still getting better, season by season.

No doubt he will be off to the NRL or the RFU soon then, that's usually the case with our players, but not to bother as we have the best youth set up in the country don't you know and there will be another Bateman coming along shortly. if he signs a four year contract then that's when we should start to worry as that usually means he's in the shop window with a "buy me now" price tag.

Wane confirmed after the game that's Bateman's still been ill all week as have a lot of them. Sam Powell was in bed most of the week also but they didn't have any other option but to play him.

Bateman was sensational! Out of all the injured players who missed Wakey I sensed he could be the one who would really lift the side. He's an absolute warrior of a player who plays better when faced with adversity.

So has the name of this mystery virus been revealed yet ? It must have been an evil little blighter. A lot of them have still been ill all week ? But easily beat Castleford ? Something doesn't smell right.

So what do you think the truth is?

That Wakefield are basically 62 points better than Wigan?

Course they are, best team in the universe, and should be winners of the NRL GF too...

Still not up to going to the match unfortunately but not surprised one iota on your comments. If he were a little bigger he would be outstandingly good.
I love his work rate and when he is runs with the ball he always puts in 100% effort. I genuinely can't remember seeing him have a poor game.
He is for me our key player and hopefully will takeover SOL mantle when he eventually retires.

Bateman was superb last night, but I still have reservations about his passing. The one he threw (was it to Tautai?) just before half time was a shocker, it should have been a dead set try. So it's only 9.5/10

Agree that was an awful pass. It was also an awful call from Bentham and his crew as it should've been a free play but you play to the ref and Bateman should've executed the pass or just kept hold.

Isn't he a little short for a stormtrooper?

On the night, yes.
Wane thought it would be an easy 2 points and got it horribly wrong, he should have the balls to admit it and not make snidy classless comments about an improving team.

None of which, even if it was true, would be in any way relevant to the fact that Wigan were riddled with illness.

You're not doing yourself or your team any favours by dining out on a fallacy.

Riddled with illness but miraculously cleared up in 5 days ? I'm no doctor but if a squad is that crook, 5 days is a hell of a speedy recovery.
Anyway it's in the past now, i'm glad you beat Cas.

Same type of illness hit Southport FC according to the local paper. We are at the end of the winter vomiting bug/Norovirus season and yet a lot of experts out there cannot bring themselves to accept that it happens. These experts obviously have never had kids at primary school or they would know how quickly it come and goes. Of course it is more fun to come up with really complicated and totally unrealistic explanations so buy my new book "DaVinci code 2- Wigan didn't have the s it was a conspiracy." Available from No good book shops.

The kid is immense, pound for pound the toughest player in Great Britain. I'm not sure he's the type to go to the NRL and as good as he is I can't see him as a rah rah player either.

Rip up his contract and pay him whatever he wants Ian.

Dont get me wrong he's not there yet, but with the size and experience he'll gain in the next few years we could well soon be making comparisons with Andy Farrell. Might not be at Wigan at that point though sadly.

He was completely shot after about an hour . Could hardly catch his breath after every play but never took a backward step . He was just immense and got better as the game went on . Don't ask me how he was just unbelievable .

Regards , EW

His young daughter comes to every game to watch her dad play. He goes over to her at full time each week. I think John's own mum brings her. For this reason I think he is unlikely to go to Australia any time soon.

He also genuinely seems to love it at Wigan and he and Wane seem to share a mutual regard. Of course money talks and I may be a million miles off but it seems to me that for many Yorkshire lads Wigan is quite far enough away from Gods own county (eg Taylor)!!!

Here's hoping, and I can't see that RU would offer anything to him, not least because he tends to like a game that actually involves him having to do some work.

He would make a brilliant open side flank forward (not sure if my terminology is up to date?) but anyone from Union would take one look at him and conclude that he isn't big enough, which of course, would be a mistake.

Couldn't really see John fitting in with the public school types in any case. Much better to stay where he is loved.

I suspect you're right.

They tried to play Andy Farrell and Sam Burgess in the centre, and though it hardly turned out well, they don't seem to be in the habit of learning from their mistakes.

I can just see them playing John out on the wing, and genuinely not expecting him to get bored within 2 weeks.

Another terrific performance so far from JB.

He is one outstanding rugby league player.

He is just such a good and smart footballer. Earlier in the season (and last year), when he was playing in the centres, some people were saying, he's never a centre in a thousand years. I'll tell you what: if he had a full season playing there (not saying he should, of course), I reckon he could be one of the best centres in SL by the end. He has all the skills, and he is still improving all the time.