Didn't think Liam Farrell was too bad last night, just got back to basics, nothing outstanding but still decent

You have to remember too that Bateman was in pieces when he got to Wigan - Bradford overused him.

I had no problem with Wane resting him for most of the back end of last season. It's better for him long term.

Like McIlorum and J. Tomkins, Bateman has that bit of mongrel in him - opposing fans are going to hate him very, very soon as like the other two he's talented, aggressive and doesn't take a backwards step. Cracking player.

I agree with the highlighted bit but wasn't it Wane who said he wasn't agressive enough and needed to step it up?

Really like this guy, eager enthusiastic and doesn't take a backward step. Couple of folk have mentioned 'If'' he is with us long term, I know there was speculation in the off season that he might have been wanting away - thought this had been resolved - is that not the case?

Farrell's was always going to be now that he doesn't have Blake Green to put him into space. He's not big enough to be a battering ram 2nd rower

Bateman's stats were good.

1 try, 1 assist
30 tackles (1st)
7 tackle breaks (1st)
17 carries, 136 metres (1 behind Burgess)
3 clean breaks (1st)

The stats also show how powderpuff most of our props are.

Crosby - 11 carries, 58 metres (5.27 avg.)
Sutton - 11 carries, 55 metres (5.5 avg.)
Patrick - 6 carries, 16 metres (2.67 avg.) - (WHAT?)
Clubb - 8 carries, 73 metres (9.13 avg.) - easily our best prop at the minute.

After watching last nights game this morning I thought that Bateman was outstanding,He runs some very good lines in attack and can certainly put himself about defensively,It was a refreshing change to see him leave all of his usual niggle out of his game and concentrate on what he is very good at

I hope this is the way he continues to play his game as he certainly has the talent to make it to the very top

I thought Patrick was very disappointing - hardly noticed him apart from that horrendous knock-on.

Every time I see Batemam Im pretty shocked how strong he is. He doesn't seem big enough to bust tackles like he does. He looks like a little scrawny kid but plays like a 17st forward.

Some of them stars above a pretty grim. Crosby never seems to make many meters and that can't be true stat of Patrick surely.

The only time I noticed him was the numerous times he got smashed, they really had a point to prove on him, punishment for disloyalty. I vaguely remember as a child watching this same thing done to Offiah for his first game against Wigan in a Broncos jersey.

They already do. According to Twitter and the VT he is a thug and a , despite the fact that the only incident he's been involved in began with Jamie Peacock slapping him. Peacock was praised, Bateman was attributed with a reputation.

Wigan's props very often don't carry and bash the ball up field. Many of our sets coming off our own line are carried by the backs like Gelling, Charnley, Burgess, Joel (or Sarge/Thornley and a quick dh run by the 9. Our backs probably make more meters than most in SL for that reason, plus their attacking runs, IMO.
Our forwards tend to get stuck into the opposition forwards when they are carrying the ball up. Many opposition sets are met with 3-4 men tackles every tackle and our forwards have the energy as they are not doing both jobs. Quite a number of big forwards in SL do both jobs and therefore are not out there long minutes. If we start a set around our 40 mtr line or further upfield then again the ball is often carried up wider out by the 2nd rowers before being sent wide.
Perhaps that's something to do with why we don't run out of energy in the last 20 minutes when many opposition teams do.
That's how I see it sometimes.