John Bateman has no plans to return to Wigan Warriors any time soon

[josie andrews]

John Bateman is planning to extend his stay in the NRL - and is even considering becoming an Australia citizen.

He is under contract with Canberra until the end of 2021 but after 12 matches, has already asked his agent to speak to the club about extending his deal.

The 25-year-old says has no plans to leave the Raiders - ruling out the prospect of him returning to Wigan, certainly in the near-future.

"I think for me personally it's the best football I've played and that's a big part of coming here and what Canberra has done for me," Bateman told NRL.com.

"That's why I want to stay.

"A few people have asked me about (citizenship). It's one of those things I'd definitely be interested in looking into."

When his move from Wigan to Cannberra was confirmed, there was one surprise to the open-secret – Wigan saying he had signed a marquee deal to return. He was even quoted in their statement saying: “Although I’m sad to be leaving the Warriors, it’s great to know I’ll be returning here in a couple of years.”

Bateman later clarified his position, telling the Wigan Observer: “We had a mutual agreement that if I want to come back to Super League, Wigan would get first choice and that (marquee contract) would be the wage bracket we’d be talking about.


"I probably would want to finish my career here, but there’s nothing concrete agreed that I’ll be coming back in two or three years."

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/john-b ... -1-9848833

[DaveO]

No surprise. None of the GB players who have gone to Oz who have been successful have com back after their initial deal concluded.

The fact Wigan tried to spin it he’d be back in 2021 when that isn’t what was agreed just left some fans not trusting a word the club and IL says.

[josie andrews]

No surprise. None of the GB players who have gone to Oz who have been successful have com back after their initial deal concluded.

The fact Wigan tried to spin it he’d be back in 2021 when that isn’t what was agreed just left some fans not trusting a word the club and IL says.

He told me he hadn't agreed to come back!

[fozzieskem]

It still makes me cringe that Wigan tried to spin it that he would be back in a couple of years,they’re not good at that sort of thing so why try,it made them look foolish,that said with what transpired with the Edwards fiasco a mere few months later why should we be surprised?

As for Bateman,I think he will end his playing days over there or at best go back to Bradford for a Swansong season,I highly doubt we will ever see him in a Wigan shirt again.

[jobo]

If he carries on playing as well as he has been doing and manages to avoid injury, his next contract in the NRL will dwarf anything he'd be offered in SL.

Think the only way he'd ever come back is if at some point, he finds he can't settle over there.

[DaveO]

No surprise. None of the GB players who have gone to Oz who have been successful have com back after their initial deal concluded.

The fact Wigan tried to spin it he’d be back in 2021 when that isn’t what was agreed just left some fans not trusting a word the club and IL says.

He told me he hadn't agreed to come back!

I am sure he did but that is not what Wigan said when they announced he was leaving.

[Barney841]

Good on him for me. Fantastic player who never let the team down and always gave a 100%. God knows how many teams he pulled the Wigan team out the s**t.
Would love to see him back at Wigan but if not then good luck to him

[josie andrews]

No surprise. None of the GB players who have gone to Oz who have been successful have com back after their initial deal concluded.

The fact Wigan tried to spin it he’d be back in 2021 when that isn’t what was agreed just left some fans not trusting a word the club and IL says.

He told me he hadn't agreed to come back!

I am sure he did but that is not what Wigan said when they announced he was leaving.

I know, & he wasn't happy about it either!

[Nezza Faz]

On the bright side, his continued NRL form will help our international performances.