The only way Bateman is the same height, or taller, than O'L is if he wears 6" stilletto rugby boots.

Bateman: www.wiganwarriors.com/WPlayerP.aspx?id=79 DOB - 30/09/1993 Position - Back Row Place of Birth - - Height - 185 cm Weight - 96 kg SOL www.wiganwarriors.com/WPlayerP.aspx?id=13 DOB - 24/11/1982 Position - Loose Forward Place of Birth - Wigan (England) Height - 187 cm Weight - 98 kg

Bateman: www.wiganwarriors.com/WPlayerP.aspx?id=79 DOB - 30/09/1993 Position - Back Row Place of Birth - - Height - 185 cm Weight - 96 kg SOL www.wiganwarriors.com/WPlayerP.aspx?id=13 DOB - 24/11/1982 Position - Loose Forward Place of Birth - Wigan (England) Height - 187 cm Weight - 98 kg

Don't forget, O'loughlin has a good three inches of perm which can give the illusion that he's taller than he is.

Bateman is about 3" taller than Burrow. The latter is 5'5", according to Wiki, but is no more than 4'8" in reality. I think you pies must all watch the game from Bateman's side of the pitch, swapping at half time. He just gives the illusion of being taller as he is closer to you than O'L.

Bateman certainly doesn't look that tall at games on the TV, he only looks about 5'9. I always thought he was a short.

Bateman is powerpuff. Tiny, wimpy little runt. The kind of kid that would get bullied on his camp site and run away to Bradford. Marmelised by the Saints reserve backrowers and thrown about like he was a rottweiller's play toy by young Savelio.

Saw absolutely nothing of the ginger Hanley either. And people want to unleash those two on the international rugby scene.

Bateman's published stats are a classic example of why most Rugby League fans treat such as being about as truthful as a statement from 10 Downing Street.

At the start of the season he was widely touted as being anywhere between 6'2 and 6'5. Given the viewing angle of most fans (either at the ground or watching on the telly) it's often very difficult to judge.

However, looking at the yardage Bateman has made in heavy traffic this season (not in broken field where his speed and footwork is certainly an asset) I have been mentally chipping away at those figures as each game has passed.

The absolute clincher was the game played at Leigh. With ten minutes to go Bateman walked straight past Joe Burgess on camera. Now, either Joe Burgess has suddenly grown to 6'7 without anyone realising it - or Bateman's stats are a fraud.

Burgess literally towered over Bateman. If the latter is much over 5'10 I'd be surprised.

Bateman is a short , no question

Savielo could play for England too, can he not?

Lockers needs to retire from the international scene for the sake of the younger, on form players... Players like Bateman, Ferres and Whitehead (just to name 3) will do a times better job.

He's needs to do it for his Wigan career too if he cares about the club.
He can't string a decent amount of good games together and should concentrate on his club.

A player of his experience and leadership skills may better be served helping around training camps and behind the scenes in general.

As well as Saints? That's how it normally works.

Bateman certainly plays above his weight & height (under 6ft im sure),but international quality....no.

Weird how the Wigan players (Farrel, Bateman and O'Loughlin) have been picked out for criticism.

The point I was making about Bateman and the others in the opening post wasn't that they're international class NOW necessarily, but that they have another 2.5 seasons to develop before the world cup. Bateman is still only 21.

He might not develop much more, we don't know. But what we do know is that we have a lot of young talent in the backrow.

ah they are missing the point hes still only 21 and can get even better than he already is though..

may even end up in the NRL which could improve him even more training with the best coaches/facilities/players

Welcome to the VT.