Podcast: John Bateman on his journey from young kid from Bradford to superstar

James Gordon 10 Mar 2022 9:39 AM

John Bateman on the Love Rugby League podcast

John Bateman is this week’s guest on the Love Rugby League podcast as he opens up on his journey from a young kid in Bradford to playing for Wigan and in the NRL.

Meanwhile, James Gordon and Josh McAllister go through the latest action in rugby league – including the good, the bad and the ugly from this week.

There’s yet more disciplinary chatter and we look ahead to this weekend’s action in Super League and the Challenge Cup.

Bateman, now 28, came through the ranks at hometown club Bradford making his debut at the age of 17.

When the Bulls hit financial difficulties, he was sold to Wigan for a fee of around £70,000.

That earned him major honours, winning the 2016 and 2018 Super League titles and 2017 World Club Challenge.

He was named in the Super League Dream Team in 2018 and played for England at the 2017 World Cup.

A move to the NRL followed in 2019 with Canberra Raiders and he made quite the imapct.

The back-rower was named the Dally M second-rower of the year in 2019.

But after missing the start of the next season with a shoulder injury, he was limited to just 11 appearances – and mid-season penned a deal to return to the UK with Wigan.

He sits down with Drew Darbyshire to talk about all the pressures affecting him on and off the field, from being a young kid in Bradford to NRL superstar.