WARRINGTON WOLVES shocked the vast majority of the rugby league fraternity when they announced a deal for former Wigan Warriors forward John Bateman last month.
Bateman is just two years into his four-year deal with NRL side, Wests Tigers, but he has joined Warrington until the end of the 2024 Super League season.
It was a move that came like a bolt from the blue, with Bateman and Wests head coach Benji Marshall reportedly having a fallout.
Anyway, the Tigers’ loss is Warrington’s gain and now Wolves head coach Sam Burgess has revealed how the move came about for the England international.
“I spoke to him about three months ago about doing something for next year because we were losing Matty Nicholson,” Burgess told League Express.
“But he had a contract in place at Wests Tigers for a few more years which he wanted to keep hold of and he said it wouldn’t really work.
“But, something popped up which meant that he was available to come until the end of this season.
“I thought it was a good opportunity for everyone and exciting for the competition so I thought if we could make it work we would have a go at that and it’s turned out well.”
So could Bateman stay beyond the 2024 Super League season or will he return to Wests?
“The plan is to return to Wests in that he has only come for the back end of this year because he has a contract to go back there.
“We will respect that contract and if anything changes then it changes but for now that’s the plan.”
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