Whatever is the full story behind the Bateman debacle (funny how nobody came in for him while we were paying his full wage for being injured and in rehab) the sad truth is that a club with only 3000 season ticket holders won't be able, in the medium term, to keep any top players, or build up a top squad. Workmanlike is all you can hope for. And whatever the sales are to date, this sort of news will all but kill any substantial further sales. Which makes me suspect we had no choice.
As a player Bateman clearly has outstanding ability in flashes, which other players don't have, but I can't remember a game that he took by the scruff of the neck, or turned, and it's true he's not the biggest. I'd say we've lost his potential (whatever that is) and if Wigan can sort him out then he could become a top player but that would just mean he would join the legion of players, all still playing, that were and could or should still be Bulls. For players still playing, that goes back to criminally losing Jamie Peacock and Leon Pryce as a result of the Harris farrago, to the inevitability of the loss of Burgesses Sam, George and Tom to Aus, to the likes of Atkins and Bridge, Ferres, Wardle, Kopczak and Larne Patrick picking up League Leader's Shield medals, Whitehead of course, as well as the likes of Menzies and Elima. Not to mention on the coaching side with coaches such as Paul Anderson and occasional pot-lifting Brian Mac.
At least the Bulls are doing their bit for world rugby, if not for their long-suffering fans.
