Surgery blow for Bradford Bulls duo Luke Gale and John Bateman

7:50am Wednesday 28th November 2012 in Bulls Photograph of the Author By Ross Heppenstall, Bradford Bulls Reporter

Luke Gale is due to have an ankle operation today which is expected to keep him out of action for eight weeks Luke Gale is due to have an ankle operation today which is expected to keep him out of action for eight weeks

Bulls coach Francis Cummins has been dealt a major double injury blow after it was revealed that Luke Gale and John Bateman are set to miss the start of the season.

Gale damaged an ankle when on England Knights duty last month and Bateman is carrying a shoulder problem which hampered him towards the end of the 2012 campaign.

Scrum half Gale is due to have an operation today and 19-year-old Bateman will do likewise on Monday, ruling them out of action for eight and 12 weeks respectively.

That has left Cummins staring at the grim prospect of being without both men for the Super League opener at home to Wakefield on February 3.

The Bulls boss was philosophical about Bateman’s injury setback, insisting it would at least allow the club to build up his all-round fitness and athleticism.

But he was more pragmatic in his appraisal on the loss of creative fulcrum Gale, who enjoyed an outstanding debut campaign at Odsal.

“The two injuries are a bad blow, without a doubt,” said Cummins.

“For any player to miss pre-season is a huge thing because this is when you get your game-time and match fitness.

“John is going to have an operation next Monday, so he’ll be out for 12 weeks.

“Regardless of this operation, though, we had sat down with John and spoken about investing time in him to give him a proper pre-season, so this could actually be a blessing in disguise.

“We are taking him right back, looking at his diet and priming him in every area possible to make him a professional athlete because he’s still so young.”

Gale missed over two months at the start of last season after sustaining ankle ligament damage in round three against Wigan.

Should he miss the start of the 2013 campaign, Cummins could deploy Danny Addy or Brett Kearney in the halves alongside Jarrod Sammut.

Cummins said: “Luke will be out for eight weeks, which is a real kick in the teeth because at the moment he is key to our success and our main playmaker.

“We’ll just have to have a rethink about how we’re going to do things and find a way of achieving it – or see whether we can strengthen the squad.

“But we can’t complain about it, we’ve just got to get on with it.”

The Bulls squad is already thin but Cummins said the injury blows could open the door for other players to stake their claim.

He said: “One man’s disappointment is another man’s gain. That’s what we’ve got to look at and I’m really pleased that everyone else is training well at the moment and investing in their careers.

“Galey healed well from his injury last season but neither he nor John will be rushed back.”

Comments(28)

THEMANOFSTEEL says...
8:05am Wed 28 Nov 12

How long have they had to arrange surgery? Leave it a bit longer then we can struggle even more!
F sake!!!!

Report this post »

ifallwerelikemumby says...
8:13am Wed 28 Nov 12

Don't panic Mr Mannering I am sure the in depth squad can cope ,Well according to some on here it will be able to. More signings needed at least 4.

Report this post »

Uglytruth says...
8:40am Wed 28 Nov 12

oh dear, not good news to wake up to. why didnt bateman have op immediately? bulls still not on a private healthcare scheme and trying to save pennies not paying for the operation? sleepless nights for all concened but im sure will can survive

Report this post »

MeccaBingo1 says...
8:46am Wed 28 Nov 12

Complete Joke. Nothing has changed.

Report this post »

Blotto says...
8:49am Wed 28 Nov 12

You have to give injuries time heal naturally where possible, you don't have invasive surgery just for the sake of it. Anyway 2 is the lowest the Bulls have had at this time of year for a while, something else usually happens once intensive pre season gets going, unless the Club gets lucky injury wise for a change!

Report this post »

Mumby was the best says...
9:19am Wed 28 Nov 12

MeccaBingo1 wrote:
Complete Joke. Nothing has changed.
You are right, the sooner we can rid the curse of injuries from Rugby the better!

Report this post »

liverpoolbull says...
9:46am Wed 28 Nov 12

This will go on all season unless we get halfback cover as well as props, were not going to go the full season without a halfback crisis , history says that , if we haven't got youngsters coming through in these positions , then we should get some as a priority asap

Report this post »

monobrow man says...
10:07am Wed 28 Nov 12

We don't really need to do it now just go into loan market at the beginning of the year. We obviously don't have any cash, just wish they would come out and say it, gonna be a long hard season unless we get lucky with a couple of superstar in the making loan signings

Report this post »

stormingnorm says...
10:35am Wed 28 Nov 12

As the song says " here we go again" We have a paper thin squad to start with . The worst starting pack squad I can remember ( just compare our forwards with our friends down the road .Not just 8-13 but they have 14-24 all forwards who would walk into our starting pack , even Richard Moore ) Now we are starting with injuries and to our most effective and pivitol player . We talk of Addey , huh huh !
Let's face it you can't play behind a loosing pack and that wll be the case, so therefor second rate half backs will get murdered .
AS we all know we need props , cash man he says no !!
WE have done well to survive , so that's that , but it's going to be grim at best . Now it's Hope and pray time again .

Report this post »

monobrow man says...
10:49am Wed 28 Nov 12

We don't really need to do it now just go into loan market at the beginning of the year. We obviously don't have any cash, just wish they would come out and say it, gonna be a long hard season unless we get lucky with a couple of superstar in the making loan signings

Report this post »

Solomon Grundy says...
10:51am Wed 28 Nov 12

This says it all, we MUST sign more players, 2 props, a half back, another outside back. and they need to be in sooner than later to be fully part of the squad.

Report this post »

SantaKlauscomeseaelytoodsal says...
10:56am Wed 28 Nov 12

What a set of moaners, three months to start of season, still time to bring in NEW players on loan or otherwise. Prop on his way, but the majority on here do not read beyond the t n a. Which is somewhat, economical with what it prints.

Bateman's injury happened at the end of last season, Bulls told REST would cure the problem. Only raised it's head again with Full Contact training. Both having immediate ops, so no problem there then. Both young enough to recover in the time frame given or before.

I suggest you doom merchants read other sites. Get behind the lads for the next season. At least we've a team to watch, so get real, we ain't gonna break any pots this year, we are still building. FC, his doing his best with the players he's already got. Still trying to bring in others.

But you fully qualified RL coaches obviously know better, no credit to him or the players he has got. Written off before the season starts. What a set of tossers you lot on here are. Although there are exceptions though, Mumby, Raise, Steam, Viking.

But the t n a, in their wisdom, let trolls dominate, this forum. So nothing gets debated fully, as name calling usually ensues, by those who are wrong. They know who they are, brain dead, under bridge dwellers that will end up talking to their own alta egos, oops they do this already, eh FAKE.

Report this post »

Mumby was the best says...
11:11am Wed 28 Nov 12

stormingnorm wrote:
As the song says " here we go again" We have a paper thin squad to start with . The worst starting pack squad I can remember ( just compare our forwards with our friends down the road .Not just 8-13 but they have 14-24 all forwards who would walk into our starting pack , even Richard Moore ) Now we are starting with injuries and to our most effective and pivitol player . We talk of Addey , huh huh !
Let's face it you can't play behind a loosing pack and that wll be the case, so therefor second rate half backs will get murdered .
AS we all know we need props , cash man he says no !!
WE have done well to survive , so that's that , but it's going to be grim at best . Now it's Hope and pray time again .
If you feel so strongly that you need to watch a winning team go watch them down the road.

Report this post »

flashdonut says...
11:36am Wed 28 Nov 12

SantaKlauscomeseaely
toodsal wrote:
What a set of moaners, three months to start of season, still time to bring in NEW players on loan or otherwise. Prop on his way, but the majority on here do not read beyond the t n a. Which is somewhat, economical with what it prints.

Bateman's injury happened at the end of last season, Bulls told REST would cure the problem. Only raised it's head again with Full Contact training. Both having immediate ops, so no problem there then. Both young enough to recover in the time frame given or before.

I suggest you doom merchants read other sites. Get behind the lads for the next season. At least we've a team to watch, so get real, we ain't gonna break any pots this year, we are still building. FC, his doing his best with the players he's already got. Still trying to bring in others.

But you fully qualified RL coaches obviously know better, no credit to him or the players he has got. Written off before the season starts. What a set of tossers you lot on here are. Although there are exceptions though, Mumby, Raise, Steam, Viking.

But the t n a, in their wisdom, let trolls dominate, this forum. So nothing gets debated fully, as name calling usually ensues, by those who are wrong. They know who they are, brain dead, under bridge dwellers that will end up talking to their own alta egos, oops they do this already, eh FAKE.
I can see just one post with insults. As in 'brain dead'. And it is yours.
.
Posts like that feed the trolls. Grow a pair, man up, and ignore them. They will go away. But not if folk respond before they even post. It is like shooting fish in a barrell if folk act like this.

Report this post »

ifallwerelikemumby says...
11:38am Wed 28 Nov 12

SantaKlauscomeseaely
toodsal wrote:
What a set of moaners, three months to start of season, still time to bring in NEW players on loan or otherwise. Prop on his way, but the majority on here do not read beyond the t n a. Which is somewhat, economical with what it prints.

Bateman's injury happened at the end of last season, Bulls told REST would cure the problem. Only raised it's head again with Full Contact training. Both having immediate ops, so no problem there then. Both young enough to recover in the time frame given or before.

I suggest you doom merchants read other sites. Get behind the lads for the next season. At least we've a team to watch, so get real, we ain't gonna break any pots this year, we are still building. FC, his doing his best with the players he's already got. Still trying to bring in others.

But you fully qualified RL coaches obviously know better, no credit to him or the players he has got. Written off before the season starts. What a set of tossers you lot on here are. Although there are exceptions though, Mumby, Raise, Steam, Viking.

But the t n a, in their wisdom, let trolls dominate, this forum. So nothing gets debated fully, as name calling usually ensues, by those who are wrong. They know who they are, brain dead, under bridge dwellers that will end up talking to their own alta egos, oops they do this already, eh FAKE.
Morning helga, You got used to using the ladies loo yet at the top house ?

Report this post »

nosher says...
1:02pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Shat happens. We are where we are. Which is better than what it looked like at one stage last season. We could have gone out of existance.

Report this post »

doctor.t says...
1:26pm Wed 28 Nov 12

The Bulls website gives more information as to when these injuries occured/re-occured,a
nd the medical prognoses at the time.

Report this post »

Shelfrhino says...
2:16pm Wed 28 Nov 12

What a set of tramps, how long before you go begging players of the bigger clubs?

Pathetic.

Report this post »

Steam Pigs says...
2:34pm Wed 28 Nov 12

some advice... please read and heed, especially number 3

1. Know your troll. A troll is someone who persistently seeks to derail rational discourse through mindless abuse, needling, hectoring, or even threats of violence. A troll is not someone who disagrees with you, dislikes your work or disapproves of your moral choices. That's an idiot.

2. The line is not always so easy to draw. There is a grey area between spirited dissent and out-and-out trolling that houses the passionately misinformed, the casually profane, schoolchildren taking the **** and otherwise intelligent people who don't put spaces after commas. For the sake of convenience this group is often referred to as "the internet".

3. Don't feed the trolls. Trolling is one of those rare problems best handled by ignoring it – if you do, it usually goes away. Trolls want your attention and discomfiture; they feed on your impotent rage. If they're trying to be funny, your willingness to rise to the bait provides the punchline. If you don't, there's no joke. The secret to withholding attention is consistency: never respond. That way, the trolls can't even be sure you've read their abuse.

Report this post »

stormingnorm says...
2:55pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Well Mumby was the best
Seen some great bulls teams in late 50s early 60s ( especially 1963 ) mid 70s and some 80s ... but I was there !
Still go, but are we not allowed to stat our views .
Well Dick head and friends , it will take more than you to stop me . Yes I'm an older guy and started watching in 1948 , been to see them play clubs away you'll never have heard of . Born 400 metres from the ground , lived in Bankfoot , played for Bowling .
Then some dim wit who probably jumped on the super league waggon,tells me to go watch the club down the road.
Re read the post and digest it , take the relevant point , our pathetic forward squad , will struggle at best , let alone with preseason injuries .
I will watch them till death do us part ,however I will have my say , as you seem to do day in day out , half full of crap .!!!!!!!!

Report this post »

Mumby was the best says...
3:08pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Sorry to upset you so much Stormingnorm. Like you I have followed Northern for years, I was one of the 324 who turned to up to see the last match in 63. I have seen the ultimate highs and desperate lows but I try to look on the positive side. Yes we are light up front but it`s better than being out of existence. I suppose I was getting annoyed with all the despondancy that some posters post, but like you say we should have our say, so I say sorry again.

Report this post »

ifallwerelikemumby says...
3:57pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Backtracking bottleless alert Mumbly, lets hope the pack have more bottle than you lad. 4more players needed at least.

Report this post »

franklyn says...
4:07pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Biggest downside to having such a small squad is that when injuries happen they tend to move players out of position.
Moving kearney to half back weakens 2 positions in the side. don't know why they insist in doing this type of thing, and hoped id may change under FC.
personally i would rather see a youngster given a chance than play people out of position.
It's not time to panic just yet though, we have a good while to the start of season and i'm sure they will be going all out to strengthen the squad.
Injuries happen its all part of the game and can't be helped.

Report this post »

raisemeup says...
4:16pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Mumby was the best wrote:
Sorry to upset you so much Stormingnorm. Like you I have followed Northern for years, I was one of the 324 who turned to up to see the last match in 63. I have seen the ultimate highs and desperate lows but I try to look on the positive side. Yes we are light up front but it`s better than being out of existence. I suppose I was getting annoyed with all the despondancy that some posters post, but like you say we should have our say, so I say sorry again.
You know what Mumby and Norman it's frustration that causes it all isn't it. The toads from Toad Hall or B..ger all, in terms of loyalty., gloat on that frustration and attack us at all verse ends. So Mumby I for one applaud you for being true spirited towards those genuine Bulls fans who like you and Norman, and me for that matter, have the same objectives in seeing success and entertainment coming back to Odsal.

Remember there's only one way to go from where we were..Upwards*

*To Rhino and Ifall.et all...that reads UP Yours!

Report this post »

stormingnorm says...
5:01pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Thanks for that Mumby was the best .
We wake up get bad news ,and feel frustrated
We know the shortcomings of he club we love . We feel we must say something . It will not get fixed today but I have confidence it will sometime soon .
We so need 2/3 props , plus good cover at halfback . I have no doubt FC . is trying and when you see the strength in depth some clubs have , I am jealous , I don't mind admitting .
Then you read Kopout can't wait to play us Eh ! ( he's no balls never there when the fists are flying )
I know patience is the game , but it's hard .
ps was there with you , and v Liverpool etc.

Report this post »

bartsbull says...
7:42pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Some people are never satisfied we may never have had a club to support this coming season

New owners have come in and resurected the club they have put money in and brought new sponsers on board

There is new buz around the club we have players who want to play for the club give these people a chance yes we may need a couple of players

But dont forget we were behind everyone else in starting to build a squad players left because we could not sign players until the club came out of admin

Those players have moved on we will win more games than we did this year

The one thing we have is the core of the squad is still here and they have bonded together and team spirit is worth everything lets be positive and get behind them coyb

Report this post »

THEMANOFSTEEL says...
9:45pm Wed 28 Nov 12

Lets get Marc Herbert back on a British passport from somewhere lol

Report this post »

ifallwerelikemumby says...
5:36am Thu 29 Nov 12

Think Franny going to have to be player coach.

Report this post »

click2find

Get Adobe Flash player
About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree