The kid is immense, pound for pound the toughest player in Great Britain. I'm not sure he's the type to go to the NRL and as good as he is I can't see him as a rah rah player either.

Rip up his contract and pay him whatever he wants Ian.

Dont get me wrong he's not there yet, but with the size and experience he'll gain in the next few years we could well soon be making comparisons with Andy Farrell. Might not be at Wigan at that point though sadly.

He was completely shot after about an hour . Could hardly catch his breath after every play but never took a backward step . He was just immense and got better as the game went on . Don't ask me how he was just unbelievable .

Regards , EW

His young daughter comes to every game to watch her dad play. He goes over to her at full time each week. I think John's own mum brings her. For this reason I think he is unlikely to go to Australia any time soon.

He also genuinely seems to love it at Wigan and he and Wane seem to share a mutual regard. Of course money talks and I may be a million miles off but it seems to me that for many Yorkshire lads Wigan is quite far enough away from Gods own county (eg Taylor)!!!

He would make a brilliant open side flank forward (not sure if my terminology is up to date?) but anyone from Union would take one look at him and conclude that he isn't big enough, which of course, would be a mistake.

Couldn't really see John fitting in with the public school types in any case. Much better to stay where he is loved.

I suspect you're right.

They tried to play Andy Farrell and Sam Burgess in the centre, and though it hardly turned out well, they don't seem to be in the habit of learning from their mistakes.

I can just see them playing John out on the wing, and genuinely not expecting him to get bored within 2 weeks.

Another terrific performance so far from JB.

He is one outstanding rugby league player.

He is just such a good and smart footballer. Earlier in the season (and last year), when he was playing in the centres, some people were saying, he's never a centre in a thousand years. I'll tell you what: if he had a full season playing there (not saying he should, of course), I reckon he could be one of the best centres in SL by the end. He has all the skills, and he is still improving all the time.

John Bateman is a quality, young, tough player and I thought he played outstanding as Wigan captain today (baring in mind its probably a lot for a young forward to take on especially at a club such as Wigan). There was doubts about his size on here and he has definitely showed them size only contributes to so much, talent, hard work, mental and physical toughness as well as a rugby brain will take you further and this is what he bring to the Wigan team.
Whats more freakish about him is he is 22 year old and is still not fully developed. There is more to come from him as aspects of his game can be improved. Looks like a replacement for Sean O'Loughlin and once his body matures and finally settles into the back row (Loose Forward probably) Wigan will have a class talent in their squad that is if the vultures from down under snap him up.

He's just a natural league player. I've said this many times but what impresses me most is his rugby brain. He doesn't seem the brightest off the field but put him on a rugby pitch and he's just a natural. He gets in great positions and just seems to have an instinct for what's happening around him.

This is what marks out (potentially) great players from the rest. Gelling and Sarge don't have a rugby brain between the pair of them. Bateman does. Budgie does. Lockers has one. It's trait that stand out.

I wasn't suggesting that he should, or would want to, play centre. Just that it would be within his capabilities to make a success of it. Like most here, I'd like to see him as an eventually replacement for Lockers. I daresay he would, too.

We just need to hang on to him!