BRUISE BROTHERS INTO BATTLE
J‘We have just got to get on with it and act like we do not know each other’
OE BATCHELOR will play out a nerve-jangling version ofwar and Peace with younger brother James today. The St Helens forward is in the form of his life and desperate to stretch the champions’ Super League lead to six points as the race for superiority heats up.
But victory atwakefield this afternoon will deal a potentially devastating blow to James and Trinity, and to their hopes for the rest of the campaign.
The bottom club are fighting for their lives and seven of their remaining eight games are against top-six sides – including Saints twice.
But Batchelor, 27, insists he cannot afford to think about the ramifications for his younger brother, saying: “He is my enemy for 80 minutes, unfortunately.
“We have just got to get on with it and act like we do not know each other.
“I want to beat them but I hope they pick up wins elsewhere.”
Emotions will be trickier for the brothers’ family, who will be out in force for today’s vital clash.
Batchelor said: “It’s a strange one for them but at least they can all get to the same game to watch us both for a change.
“But I can’t look too much into Wakefield’s position and what it means. All I know is they’re scrapping for their lives and we’re under no illusions that it will be tough.
“They are in a difficult position but they have got players who can cause us problems.
“When they came to us it was one of the toughest games we’d had in those early rounds because they matched us for energy and intensity.”
Wakefield hand a debut to full-back Jamie Shaul, who is on loan from Hull, and have winger Lee Kershaw back after 10 months out injured with a ruptured ACL.
Coach Willie Poching, whose side have lost four games on the bounce in what has been a torrid run, said: “There has been a bit of hurt after you lose but it’s important how you move on.
“Saints have been the pace-setters for a number of years and we understand the enormity of the task but we are ready to embrace that.”
Joe Batchelor is flying with three tries in four games, including a brilliant one in the Magicweekend win overwigan in
Newcastle.
The back-rower collected his own grubber-kick before racing in, then produced an outrageous dummy to send in Jonny Lomax for a last-gasp winning try.
He said: “I practise kicking and some of the lads take the mick because they think I’m messing about.
“But now they all know I’m not.
“We have a fella who comes in to help the kickers but I’ve told him he’s redundant now! I’ve watched my try back but I’ve watched Jonny’s try more because it was really poignant in the context of the season. “We’d practised being in the situation of being behind with a couple of minutes to go and everything came off for us in that moment.
“That win and the way we won it is in my top three, alongside winning the Grand Final and the Challenge Cup.”
Victory today, depending on how the rest of the season pans out, may not be such a happy one for the Batchelor family at large.