A second NRL club joins chase for John Bateman

Gold Coast Titans are preparing to join Canterbury Bulldogs in chasing John Bateman's signature.
John BatemanJohn Bateman
John Bateman

The former Wigan forward has been told by Canberra he can speak to rival clubs for 2021 to see if he can attract better offers.

Canterbury want him on board for next year, reports the NRL's official site, and Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga is also a fan.

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Meninga, who now works for the Titans, told the Courier Mail: “I asked my recruitment manager (Ezra Howe) to sound John and Isaac Moses (manager) out.

“We would certainly be interested in him. We need a marquee player, to be honest with you.

“John popped into the market recently so he wasn’t under consideration because he was locked up with the Raiders.

“If he’s on the market and available, we will certainly be looking at him.

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He is hard to tackle and tough. He is very resilient. He is skilful, quick and has an evasive ability.

“He is a physically and mentally tough player … all the things you want in a player.”

Bateman left Wigan at the end of 2018 and was a sensation in the NRL last season, winning the Dally M backrower of the year award.

He has candidly admitted he will consider better offers elsewhere, with media reporting he wants $800,000 - more than his current salary of $600,000.

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But league greats Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler have questioned whether he is worth that much.

F"I went through some back-rowers ... here's the players in my opinion who are better players than John Bateman," Johns told Wide World of Sports' Freddy and the Eighth.

"Boyd Cordner, David Fifita, [Viliame] Kikau, Cam Murray. Elliott Whitehead, at the same club. Felise Kaufusi, Angus Crichton, Tyson Frizell, Wade Graham. I think only a couple of those would be on 800.

"I just think it's rotten. But it works both ways. If you sign a contract as a player, you play out your contract where you've signed.

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"But also as a club, you take the gamble and sign a player to a long-term contract and something happens where they lose form, they lose interest, they have a fallout with someone, too bad. You've signed a contract."

And Fittler, the NSW coach, said: "If you have to go and ask for 800, you're not worth 800. If you're getting 800, clubs are giving it to you, they're asking you to come to their club. It's a bad look. Bad look.

"I think he's already on 600 or something as well - it's a pretty good earn."

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