Cousin of NRL and England star seals season-long Championship switch for 2026

Ben Olawumi
A close-up shot of Bradford Bulls youngster Jacob Bateman in action at youth level in 2025, with his nose bloodied

Bradford Bulls youngster Jacob Bateman in action at youth level in 2025 - Image credit: Bradford Bulls

Bradford Bulls young gun Jacob Bateman, the cousin of veteran North Queensland Cowboys and England star John, has joined Dewsbury Rams on a season-long loan for 2026.

Teenager Bateman made his first-team bow for Bradford back in May 2024 as he featured off the bench in a Championship clash against Sheffield Eagles at Odsal.

Shing for the Bulls’ academy and reserves sides, that remains his only senior appearance for the club to date, but the young forward has gained experience out on loan with three different clubs since then.

Able to slot into the back-row and at loose, those loan stints have seen Bateman don a shirt for Cornwall, Newcastle Thunder and Batley Bulldogs.

The youngster’s stint with Cornwall in 2024 brought his only senior try to date, crossing the whitewash away against Rochdale Hornets in August that year.

And after ending 2025 in the Championship with Batley, who finished the year second-bottom of the ladder, he will again feature in the second tier next term having seen a season-long switch to Dewsbury confirmed.

Cousin of NRL and England star John Bateman seals season-long Championship switch for 2026

The Rams finished fourth in League 1 in 2025, but next year will compete in a 21-team division as the third tier merges with the Championship.

Set to simply be known as the Championship, full details of that merger and the newly-formed bumper competition are still to be confirmed by the RFL.

Bateman’s loan move to the FLAIR Stadium was announced by newly-promoted Super League outfit Bradford via social media on Wednesday evening.

The Bulls posted on X (@OfficialBullsRL): “🤝 | Youngster Jacob Bateman will continue his development in the Championship in 2026, joining Dewsbury Rams on a season-long loan.

“💪 | Go well, Jacob!”

Championship Bradford Bulls

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