John Bateman: I want to be best player in Super League

John Bateman has landed back in the UK ahead of his return to Wigan and vowed: “I want to be the best player in Super League.”
John BatemanJohn Bateman
John Bateman

The forward, who has spent the last two seasons in the NRL with Canberra, is rejoining the Warriors on a four-year deal.

And he has not shied away from setting high ambitions, declaring his intention to captain the club, win more titles – and establish himself as the leading player in the competition.

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He hopes to go down as one of the best players in Wigan’s glorious history.

The 27-year-old said: “I want to be the best player in Super League, I’m not being big-headed. And I know I’ll have a target (on me), so I’ve got to take my game to a different level.

“I want to be the best in Super League. Hopefully one day I get to captain Wigan, I want to lead them to trophies and make my family proud and go from there.”

Bateman won two titles and a World Club Challenge during five years at Wigan before moving to the Raiders, where he was a huge hit – he was named Dally M backrower of the year in 2019.

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The Warriors have taken advantage of the marquee player allowance – meaning only a portion of his lucrative wages goes on the £2.1 salary cap – to get him on board.

“I want to win about five Super Leagues – I’ve got two at the moment. I want to do something at Wigan,” he told the online show, Bloke in a Bar, before leaving Australia.

“They put themselves out for me, they showed me they wanted me.

I’ve signed to be with my family, but I’ve also signed for a club that broke the bank for me. I want to give them quite a bit back. I want to go down as one of the best players to have played there.”

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