Wigan Warriors have confirmed that back-rower John Bateman will leave with immediate effect to sign a four-year deal as Rugby League.
John Bateman : Rugby League | leaves Wigan | Age
John Bateman is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays second-row for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League, and England and Great Britain at international level.
In April 2011, at the age of 17 years and 208 days old Batemate made his Super League début starting at Lock for the Bradford Bulls in an 8–8 draw against Catalans Dragons.
In May 2011, he made his first Challenge Cup appearance for the club against Halifax.
He made two more first team appearances towards the end of the season, and scored his first Super League try against Wigan Warriors.
John Bateman Rugby League
In November 2013, Bateman signed a three-year contract with Wigan Warriors for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £70,000.
Bateman featured in Round 1 (Widnes Vikings) to Round 9 (Salford City Reds) then in Round 11 (Warrington Wolves) to Round 19 (Salford City Reds).
He also played in Round 21 (Leeds Rhinos) to Super Eight 6 (St. Helens) then in the Semi Final (Huddersfield Giants) to the Grand Final (Leeds Rhinos).
Bateman played in the Challenge Cup in Round 6 (Hull Kingston Rovers). He scored against Huddersfield Giants (4 tries), Hull F.C. (2 tries), Leeds Rhinos (1 try) and Warrington Wolves (2 tries).
Bateman signed with the Canberra Raiders for 2019 and 2020, with a third year option in his favour, on 8 August 2018.
In round 19 of the 2019 NRL season against the Penrith Panthers, Bateman scored a try in the dying minutes to seal a 30-18 victory for the visitors away from home. The win cemented the Canberra’s position in the top 4 of the competition.
In July 2020, it was announced that Bateman would re-join Wigan for the 2021 season.
In round 20 of the 2021 Super League season, Bateman was sent to the sin bin twice in Wigan’s 26-2 loss against St Helens.
And in the 2022 semi-final, Bateman was sent off for a dangerous high tackle on former teammate Aiden Sezer during the clubs shock defeat to Leeds.
On 26 December, Bateman will leave Wigan to sign on a four-year deal with the NRL club Wests Tigers for 2023.
John Bateman leaves Wigan
Wigan Warriors have confirmed that back-rower John Bateman will leave with immediate effect to sign a four-year deal with Wests Tigers in the NRL.
The 29-year-old had been in talks for several months with the Tigers and has now been reluctantly released by Super League heavyweights Wigan.
It will mark Bateman’s second stint in the NRL, having featured across two seasons with Canberra Raiders in 2019 and 2020. He made 34 appearances for the side, scoring eight tries, and featured in their Grand Final defeat in his first year.
Bateman returned to Super League with Wigan ahead of the 2021 season, and won the Challenge Cup with the Warriors in 2022. He also featured for England in the delayed 2021 World Cup tournament on home soil this year.
“I can’t wait to begin a new chapter at a club that I know is going places,” Bateman said. “There has been a lot of change at Wests Tigers over the past few months and everything I hear is positive.
“I want to be a part of the rebuild at the club and I’m really excited to be coming back to the NRL.”
Wigan confirmed Bateman’s departure in a statement released on Boxing Day. It read: “On Wednesday 14th of December, John informed us of his decision that he wants to try the NRL one more time.
It has been somewhat of a frustrating period but the Club now accepts that it is in everyone’s best interests that John is allowed a transfer from Wigan. On Friday 23rd December, the paperwork was completed.
Age
Bateman was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England and is currently 29 years old.
He is a product of the Bradford Dudley Hill amateur Rugby League club.
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