John Bateman: I would love to captain Wigan one day

John Bateman says he would love to captain Wigan one day and lead the Warriors to more trophies.

The 27-year-old will return to Wigan in 2021 on a four-year deal following two stunning seasons in the NRL with Canberra Raiders.

Bateman won two Super League titles and a World Club Challenge in his first spell with Wigan – and is targeting more trophies with the Cherry and Whites.

He told the Bloke In A Bar podcast: “I said to my mum the other day that I want to win around five Super Leagues. I’ve got two at the moment, so I want to win another three!

“Wigan put themselves out for me, they showed that they wanted me and people say I have signed back home to be with my family and I have, don’t get me wrong, but I have also signed at a club who have put their neck out, broke the bank for me and put themselves out for me to say ‘we want you back’. For people to show you that they want you or to show you that you mean something to them means a lot more to you than people using you as a piece of meat.

“I want to show Wigan good faith, I want to give them quite a bit back and I want to go down as one of the best players to play there.

“I talk to Kris Radlinski quite a bit and when we were sorting the deal out, he sent me a long email about making Wigan a part of me and it turned me. I was like ‘100% mate’, that’s what I want and hopefully one day I will get to captain them.

“I want to lead the club, I want to lead Wigan to trophies and make my family proud. I’m all about winning, I want to win stuff. I couldn’t care about myself winning anything (individual honours) but if I win trophies with Wigan for the next 10 years then that’s what I do.”

Bateman, who has earned 16 caps for England and three for Great Britain, says he wants to be the best player in Super League.

He added: “I want to win stuff, that’s the be all and end all.

“I want to be the best player in Super League and I’m not being big-headed.

“I know I’m going to be a target for people who will be like ‘we’ll show you are not this and that’ – it happens, I do it to other players. I’ve been a kid before and you do that but I know I’ve got to take my game to a different level and I want to be the best player in Super League.”

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