Why John Bateman was 'worried' about his playing future

The forward was sidelined following subsequent shoulder operations while uncertainty over his contract rumbled on.

He eventually signed a four-year deal to return to Wigan in 2021 on a marquee contract.

"I had to have two operations and they were tough. It probably got to a point in my career there where I was a bit worried about what was going to happen," Bateman told Wide World of Sports Radio.

“Obviously the contract talks were still going on but behind the scenes with my shoulder we weren’t really 100 percent sure what the problem was.

“The not-knowing factor in any day-to-day life is scary and it was scary for me at the time.

"It’s been a really tough time but it’s good to come through the other side.”

Bateman has since made a successful return to action for Canberra - for whom he won Dally M second rower of the year in 2019 - and is set to make his third appearance of the season against the besieged Brisbane Broncos in Canberra on Saturday.