Batchelor would be good for KR
When Sky Sports suggested Hull KR had secured the signature of Wakefield’s James Batchelor, the news came as a shock to many, with the transfer being virtually unknown at the time.
It caused an uproar on social media from Wakefield fans, who were already reeling from Rugby League Live’s exclusive that Tom Johnstone would be joining
Catalans Dragons and captain Jacob Miller’s expected move to rivals Castleford Tigers.
Still, it was the Batchelor news which was the nail in the coffin for the struggling Trinity.
We take a look at why the anticipated first signing of the Willie Peters era could be a real coup.
The 24-year-old already has 80 Super League caps to his name and has become a fan’s favourite at Belle Vue since making his debut in 2016, with the majority of Trinity supporters expecting Batchelor to captain the club in the near future.
His leadership skills for the West Yorkshire outfit have been lauded by fans and fellow players.
Batchelor’s consistent efficiency with the ball in hand is also a vital aspect of the England Knights star’s game.
So far in 2022, the utility forward has only made three handling errors during his 12 appearances for Trinity, making 110 carries and gaining 751 metres.
His work rate in defence is also a strength the forward has in his locker, Batchelor has only missed 20 tackles in 274 attempts this season, an aspect of the game Rovers have struggled with in recent weeks.
Batchelor’s average gain of 6.83m in contact is higher than several current Rovers middles, including Dean Hadley and Matty Storton, who possess gains of 6.59m and 6.67m respectively.
There is no denying Rovers need to bolster their middle, and although Batchelor’s signature doesn’t fully solve the issue, it will go a long way to building a dominant pack that can go toe-totoe with the league’s top forwards.
However, being a young British prospect from a lower end club, it is unlikely that Rovers will have broken the bank to land his signature, which gives the Robins plenty of room left on the cap, even with the impressive signing of the forward.
Predominantly featuring in the back row, Batchelor also has the ability to slot into the front row or at loose forward when needed, which is a prominent feature of the modern-day forward.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, Batchelor is the type of player the Robins need to be looking at bringing in as the new Peters era creeps ever closer.