Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[2041]

What are your reservations?

4 year contracts?
I think it's a good buy. We will never get "perfect buys", ok maybe we did this year but it should be super rare. We offer a good deal and someone offers a great deal at a better club.

Age?
Age wise. I am glad he has done a few years in Britain. It means fewer injuries.

Sheens hunted Bateman. It seems Bateman is the reason Hastings was punted.
On paper it seems a good signing. On the field we will get the answers. Till then who knows.

Here are my reservations:
- Small back rowers typically don't age well.
- Bateman was starting to get injured frequently even before he left the Raiders.
- All the reports I've seen suggest Bateman wasn't tearing up any trees in Superleague.

Taken together, I'd be surprised if he's a difference maker aged 29 and 30, and absolutely astonished if he is aged 31 and 32. Take try scoring (and yes, I know that's only one part of his game). 2014-18 at Wigan, Bateman scored a try every four games. 2019-20 at Canberra, one try every four and a bit games. 2021-22 back at Wigan, one try every eight games.

The most common mistake people on here seem to make is thinking players are what they were 3-5 years ago. I recall having a to and fro in pre-season last year with a bloke who was convinced Wade Graham was the answer to all our problems, for instance. I'd be delighted if Bateman manages to recapture his 2019 form but there isn't much that has happened between then and now that suggests this is the way he's trending. And as for the 2026 season, well...

 

[TigersFan101]

I sort of felt the same when I heard West Harbour playing a trial there

Sorta sums up our attitude towards our home/s

In a month and a half our sg ball team are playing there against the bears from memory

 

[Tucker]

Here are my reservations:
- Small back rowers typically don't age well.
- Bateman was starting to get injured frequently even before he left the Raiders.
- All the reports I've seen suggest Bateman wasn't tearing up any trees in Superleague.

Taken together, I'd be surprised if he's a difference maker aged 29 and 30, and absolutely astonished if he is aged 31 and 32. Take try scoring (and yes, I know that's only one part of his game). 2014-18 at Wigan, Bateman scored a try every four games. 2019-20 at Canberra, one try every four and a bit games. 2021-22 back at Wigan, one try every eight games.

The most common mistake people on here seem to make is thinking players are what they were 3-5 years ago. I recall having a to and fro in pre-season last year with a bloke who was convinced Wade Graham was the answer to all our problems, for instance. I'd be delighted if Bateman manages to recapture his 2019 form but there isn't much that has happened between then and now that suggests this is the way he's trending. And as for the 2026 season, well...

Good post. I agree fully.

 

[supercoach]

It's more to do with Brown not leaving. They wanted him to go to sign

His best days are far gone,and Manly with Tommy on the table, Jake playing above his weight,and showing the toil,plus the departure of Fulton the heart of the club , turmoil etc etc the club is in deep crap.

Good post. I agree fully.

Very very few players can turn back the clock. So it would be unrealistic to think Bateman will do what he did at Canberra. Iam sure Sheens knows it too, but is banking on his experience and fierce competitive nature to help lift the club. Could be a great signing or a complete fizzer.

 

[jirskyr]

But if overreaction.
WT not exclusive owners and don’t control that aspect of usage.

The CoE is exclusive to us, but that is only a portion (a large portion) of the entire facility. We don't own or have exclusive access to the fields.

 

[jirskyr]

Can’t believe that we can’t get Bateman a visa , considering we have a legal firm to call on . This seems very strange.

What makes you think lawyers can magically make the government release a visa?

You need immigration agents, who are not necessarily lawyers. Brydens may have absolutely no expertise in the area.

 

[Le Tiger]

I think Bateman and even Klemmer for that matter have been brought in as old heads to set the standards for our young forwards.

Even if we only got 2 years from them as starters and then they made way and played less minutes from the bench that would be a positive for me.

If they are playing on the bench then it's likely a young forward has jumped ahead of them which would be great.

 

[jirskyr]

FFS, I never suggested our NRL team needs to play there. But we have 8 other squads between men and women's comps.
Why couldn't a Flegg trial, a HNWNSW cup trial be played there?

2/3 of the complex is ours, and yes of course I know we don't have exclusive rights to Concord Oval, but as the primary tenant with 9 different squad surely one of them could have had the first run.

Imagine if Bankwest opened up and the Eels weren't playing. Just wouldn't be right

Not the same thing at all.

Parramatta Stadium is the Eels home ground. Concord is not the Tigers' home ground. I don't believe Tigers have ever played a match at Concord, ever, not even a trial. It has always been a rugby union ground.

What would be equivalent is if the CoE opened and the Eels had first use of the training facilities. That would be weird. But the ground we don't own and it has never hosted one of our matches.

Next you will be complaining when Souths open their centre at Heffron Park but Marcellin Randwick play a soccer match on the fields.

 

[jirskyr]

I sort of felt the same when I heard West Harbour playing a trial there

Sorta sums up our attitude towards our home/s

Concord Oval is not our home? It is literally West Harbour's home ground.

 

[Halbrowne61]

I sort of felt the same when I heard West Harbour playing a trial there

Sorta sums up our attitude towards our home/s

I’m sure you have read before the whole CoE complex is a shared community facility so shouldn’t be a surprise. I think we can live with that, not like we’re sharing it with the Dogs or similar.

 

[Conbat07]

Signings?

 

[innsaneink]

Concord Oval is not our home? It is literally West Harbour's home ground.

My point exactly

 

[pawsandclaws1]

I think Bateman and even Klemmer for that matter have been brought in as old heads to set the standards for our young forwards.

Even if we only got 2 years from them as starters and then they made way and played less minutes from the bench that would be a positive for me.

If they are playing on the bench then it's likely a young forward has jumped ahead of them which would be great.

A player like Tuki Simpkins will benefit from having Klemmer and Bateman in the team. He can see what success looks like and what it takes to be successful. If it weren't for Sheens, he would probably be on the scrap heap so he needs to apply himself.

 

[jirskyr]

My point exactly

I don't understand. When you say "sums up our attitude to our homes", but Concord is not our home, then I don't understand why any comments about Concord are relevant.

 

[Cobarcats]

A player like Tuki Simpkins will benefit from having Klemmer and Bateman in the team. He can see what success looks like and what it takes to be successful. If it weren't for Sheens, he would probably be on the scrap heap so he needs to apply himself.

Sheens sees something in him, tall, rangy, offload??

 

[nrlsurvivor]

Sheens sees something in him, tall, rangy, offload??

Offload

 

[Cobarcats]

Offload

In his very first game he gave an nice offload under pressure and i remember thinking "hello we have another Cartwright type of player" then he went down a grade.
Interesting to see if he's developed.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

In his very first game he gave an nice offload under pressure and i remember thinking "hello we have another Cartwright type of player" then he went down a grade.
Interesting to see if he's developed.

Developed and also being coached to play a different style of football than what he knew under Maguire.

 

[SeanT]

I think Bateman and even Klemmer for that matter have been brought in as old heads to set the standards for our young forwards.

Even if we only got 2 years from them as starters and then they made way and played less minutes from the bench that would be a positive for me.

If they are playing on the bench then it's likely a young forward has jumped ahead of them which would be great.

Klemmar averaged 155m a game last year. He's been brought here to make big metres which we have been lacking. Experience will be good for the youngsters but until.someone steps up and makes big metres and gets a roll on he will be starting for a long time.

 

[tigertuff]

Sheens sees something in him, tall, rangy, offload??

And youth on his side