John Bateman

[Art Vandelay]

If we lose out on him because our recruitment committee can't manage to close the deal they should fuck off and get someone in who no how to close a fucking deal ffs I'm so over Lynn and hill running our once great club into the fucking ground along with our incompetent coach

Is Andrew Hill still our CEO???
Just haven’t heard from him at all since the whole CHN/Okunbur saga...

 

[Kempsey Dog]

I know. If they stuff this up, there as good as gone IMO.

They will just say "oh were the family club so we understand Johns decision to go home" blah fucking blah

 

[Dogs79]

We need to be creative if we want Bateman, think what Roosters or Storm would do. Not in terms of money, but the little things. Allow him an extended off season, send him back to the UK to see his family or fly them out to see him for the off season. Hypothetically we win the comp in October, let him enjoy the win and send him home a couple wks later, tell him come back end of Jan in shape and ready to go. That’s 3+mths away from football and with his family. Surely we can fly some family members for milestone games like debut, and semi finals. These things are no different to Cronk’s university degree being covered by the Roosters or even C Smiths famous boat in the driveway.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

If we lose out on him because our recruitment committee can't manage to close the deal they should fuck off and get someone in who no how to close a fucking deal ffs I'm so over Lynn and hill running our once great club into the fucking ground along with our incompetent coach

I don't see the issue in giving him 800k for 2 years ... Couldn't stay in a better system currently for longer than that so why should be offer him 3. Give him an option to leave after 1 season if he's homesick but don't go public with it. All we need is 2 quality players to sign after him to add to Thompson and the recruitment snowball could build up speed... And anyways I think Bateman is the perfect tool to mentor young Topine so 2 years may be all we need to set our promising youngsters up

 

[Malla]

We need to be creative if we want Bateman, think what Roosters or Storm would do. Not in terms of money, but the little things. Allow him an extended off season, send him back to the UK to see his family or fly them out to see him for the off season. Hypothetically we win the comp in October, let him enjoy the win and send him home a couple wks later, tell him come back end of Jan in shape and ready to go. That’s 3+mths away from football and with his family. Surely we can fly some family members for milestone games like debut, and semi finals. These things are no different to Cronk’s university degree being covered by the Roosters or even C Smiths famous boat in the driveway.

This is how it should be done. Even us going to UK to play a few trials (don't know if that is feasible) but you are right - look at ways to help him see his daughter more, go back and forth back home etc - whatever it takes.

 

[Bulldog_4_Life]

Anyone else worried about that shoulder injury? Those are tough to come back from, could be a risky piece of business.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Anyone else worried about that shoulder injury? Those are tough to come back from, could be a risky piece of business.

If we have good halves and good attacking structure his shoulders won't be an issue. If Pays around and we still suck ass and he has to toil and run shit lines like Jackson then he will be in some trouble

 

[piggy]

I don't see the issue in giving him 800k for 2 years ... Couldn't stay in a better system currently for longer than that so why should be offer him 3. Give him an option to leave after 1 season if he's homesick but don't go public with it. All we need is 2 quality players to sign after him to add to Thompson and the recruitment snowball could build up speed... And anyways I think Bateman is the perfect tool to mentor young Topine so 2 years may be all we need to set our promising youngsters up

lol he wants 900k a year and i'm sure he would want at least a 3 year contract..

 

[bradyk]

lol he wants 900k a year and i'm sure he would want at least a 3 year contract..

Reports are Bateman wants ~800k. The club will not pay ~900k so you don't have to worry. We'd be better of waiting and offering that to Grant.

 

[Jarrad El Hickey]

I think it’s a bit rich when coaches whinge that players leave early, Ricky obviously didn’t mind walking out on parra early or taking blokes like Joseph tapine early from a rebuilding side back in the day, happens to every team sometimes you’re on the better end of things sometimes it hurts your side that’s just how it works in the nrl

 

[racin jason]

I wouldn't sign any player that has anything to do with that G.R.U.B. Moses. Bateman can go back to England as far as I'm concerned. Moses is cancer and should not be allowed near our club or players.

 

[DinkumDog]

Is Andrew Hill still our CEO???
Just haven’t heard from him at all since the whole CHN/Okunbur saga...

Yes and I’ve seen him in the media a few times since the Port Mac incident. He’s done TV, radio and online spots.
Do you want some links?

 

[Nasheed]

Batemans a 650/700 player.
The challenge is to get him for 750.

overs but not absurd overs.

 

[JackDog]

Is Andrew Hill still our CEO???
Just haven’t heard from him at all since the whole CHN/Okunbur saga...

I think his last statement was quashing the Bellamy rumour last week

 

[piggy]

Reports are Bateman wants ~800k. The club will not pay ~900k so you don't have to worry. We'd be better of waiting and offering that to Grant.

Realistically do we have any chance of getting Grant? Storm would move heaven and earth to keep him there. We would have to offer massive overs and even then with cam Smith likely to retite the storm would have more than enough money to sign him. I would also be making a play for Fifita. He will be a superstar!

 

[berries1935]

Realistically do we have any chance of getting Grant? Storm would move heaven and earth to keep him there. We would have to offer massive overs and even then with cam Smith likely to retite the storm would have more than enough money to sign him. I would also be making a play for Fifita. He will be a superstar!

I would say no chance at Harry Grant. Storm arent that silly

 

[Family Guy]

Fifita apparently doesn't want to move to Sydney so that's also a pipe dream so Fifita and Grant are not coming

 

[Mitch Connor]

I would say no chance at Harry Grant. Storm arent that silly

Harry Grant isn't that silly either.

 

[bradyk]

Realistically do we have any chance of getting Grant? Storm would move heaven and earth to keep him there. We would have to offer massive overs and even then with cam Smith likely to retite the storm would have more than enough money to sign him. I would also be making a play for Fifita. He will be a superstar!

Storm would need Smith to either not go around again (imo he'll go around again) or play halfback (does the best hooker and player ever in the NRL want to move positions?) We'd have to pay overs and more so than the Tigers (that's where I think he'll end up). I think it'd be in the ~900k-1m range personally to even be in the conversation. Fifita is interesting if his best offer is ~1m from the Titans, the problem I have with it is I don't want a player on overs for more than three years, I think it's counter productive if you have aspirations of winning a premiership anytime soon.

 

[AlzzBulldog]

English journo has said that Bateman, Thompson and gildart could all be at the bulldogs soon