The last I was told was that Bateman is still being touted around the NRL & SL by Shane Richardson, but his wages have priced any SL clubs out of signing him. He currently earns just over £300k ($600k Au) per season and has 3 years left on his contract. Souths & Manly have shown interest, and Bateman's preference is to stay in Oz (or so his Agent claims).

As other posters have pointed out, he could still come back to Warrington and become a marquee player. Possibly on a season-long loan again. But Richardson would rather he'd be cleared off the books permanently at Wests to free up the cap space to sign someone else on a long term deal.

Only reason I’d take Bateman back is if there is uncertainty around how long Fitzgibbon may last. I did say before the Vaughan stories we need a boomer of a prop. Overall I think we are light in the forwards.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... s-30215287 Bullock on his way?

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... s-30215287 Bullock on his way?

Happy about that, the whole situation of him not getting in the team then getting an extension was really odd. End of day could just not get my head around what is problem was. There were times we saw a decent player and other times it looked like he just turned up for his wages.

Why extend him recently and then get rid unless we are getting a transfer fee? Wierd.

Yeah, he's gone. Giving him a 2 year extension in April will always be a mystery. And one for my book when I get the lowdown on what, why etc.

I genuinely think his re-signing was a jump the gun moment, just put it down to a brain fart.
So with an estimate, with the 40k dispensation for next year, i'd say we're easily sat on 100k to try to find another Good English prop for next year.
But i suppose it depends on what Burgess wants to do, as he may put his faith in Wood, Okoro, Thomas, Whitehead next year.
I agree with most on here that i think we need a big bopper with some big punch to them, as Yates and Harrison are more defensive props with an ok go farward but good engines.
Philbin adds a bit of punch and lots of speed and energy, but would like a BMM, type player that can come on, cause damage and leave the opposition rattled.

I think we’re sitting on considerably more cap space than that, even without the new dispensations (assuming they are brought in).

Transfer fee and Salford does not go in the same sentence we likely paid them.

There's very little dead wood in our squad now. If a couple of the forwards can kick on (Thomas, Wood, Whitehead) and we keep Vaughan and Fitzgibbon, we should be competing again and it will just come down to one or two games that we know we can win, but may not.