homme vaste wrote:Yeah, I think we picked them both up through playing at Wakefield college, Joe arguably looked the better of the two 3/4 years ago and he certainly looked a different level whilst at York, hence Saints signing him. I cant understand why he hasn't got a chance but I guess James Bentley has took his chances really well in that side, but Joe needs to be playing SL week in week out as James will be next season. Both remind me of a young Gaz Ellis when he first moved into the second row at Wakefield.
Saints don’t believe his long term position is the backrow and are retraining him as a ball handling/ athletic prop (which is where he played most of the game time he got post lockdown, including the Salford game which was his best game for us/ first time he really played that role). He’s in contention for our fourth prop spot next year, albeit with stiff competition from Amor, LMS and Norman who we have just signed from London.
Between Thompson (of the Joel variety), Bentley and Mata’utia, and a whole host of kids coming through for Saints in the backrow (Wingfield and Forster both made their debuts this year, and Royle is really highly rated and got a squad number for the first time, being the only u19 regular to do so) it’s unlikely Batchelor will see any time there next year (at the moment).