NRL SEASON LATEST TO GO
Mixed feelings for Yorkshireman Bateman as Australian league halts
IT IS important to stay positive in these strange times and Canberra Raiders’ John Bateman managed to do just that when the NRL season unexpectedly shut down yesterday.
Unlike most sports, the competition had carried on operating through the coronavirus pandemic, although Round Two games over the weekend had been played behind closed doors.
However, with Australian states closing their borders and concerns about the rapid rate of infection in the country, the NRL finally accepted defeat conceding it could “no longer guarantee the safety of our players to continue to play”.
England second-row Bateman is still recovering from off-season shoulder surgery and, therefore, was not expected back in action until Round Six at the earliest.
But, in an exclusive interview with The Yorkshire Post, he quipped: “That’s now Round Three if I do want to take a positive out of all this!
“I’m taking that. We’ll see how it goes. But there’s no real timetable. We were surprised (about the season suspension), to be fair.
“We went into training today and the lads were expecting to play on Thursday; we were getting ready for that, to be honest.
“We’ve been given protocols to follow; to keep out of public places as much as possible – not go for coffees and things like that – and general know-how stuff as far as possible to make sure as a team we stay healthy. It’s disappointing, especially this early in the season as we’re only in Round Two. We get paid to play rugby and that’s what we train all preseason and every day to do.
“But we know the bigger issue is to help keep people safe and healthy; this is a global pandemic and not just stuck to one place.
“Everyone else is affected so we have to look at the bigger picture.
“With this looming over us all, we just have to get on with it and do our best to keep everyone healthy. It’s understandable.”
Yorkshireman Bateman, of course, has been a revelation in Australia having made such a huge impact in his first season after moving from Wigan Warriors last year.
The combative former Bradford Bulls player helped Canberra reach their first Grand Final in 25 years and was named the NRL’s best second-row in the endof-season Dally M Awards.
But, on a personal note, Covid-19 has had its own devastating effect; it means he remains separated from his 10-year-old daughter Millie who still lives in his hometown Bradford.
“Millie and all my family were due over in two weeks’ time,” explained Bateman, whose club had started the new season with two wins from two, beating Gold Coast Titans and New Zealand Warriors.
“It’s really disappointing. I’m really gutted. I’d been looking forward to seeing them as it’s been about four months and, if I’m really honest, I don’t know when the next time will be when I get an opportunity.
“It is hard, really hard. But it’s one of those things that you can’t do anything about.
“There’s people all over the world dying so you have to look at the bigger picture. Don’t get me wrong, I’m missing them like mad but as soon as this is over I’ll be getting them over on the first plane.
“I spoke to them today and my grandad’s not too well.
“He’s struggling with his breathing so I am worried about his health.
“I just want to wish everyone all the best and stay safe.”
Meanwhile, Bateman, who played in the 2017 World Cup final and represented Great Britain last autumn, has been in touch with new England head coach Shaun Wane.
The 26-year-old won two Grand Finals under him in his Wigan days and hopes to feature for him with his country in the end-of-season Ashes against Australia although, of course, that series is now under threat.
Yet Bateman also had a fine relationship with Wayne Bennett, the revered Australian who had been his national coach since 2016 but did not have his contract renewed in January.
“It is a bit of a weird one,” he conceded. “I’m really happy Waney’s got it but pretty disappointed Wayne’s lost it. I’m pretty close to him and he played a massive part in my international career, taking my game to the next level. He helped me massively on and off the field and probably got a lot more out of me.
“I couldn’t believe I was getting coached by Wayne Bennett, such an icon. But on the other hand it’s good to see Waney in there getting his reward for what he’s done in the sport.
“I know him really well from our Wigan days and hopefully we’ll link back up again now.
“I spoke to him when he got the job and he said he’d be in touch through the year.”
We just have to get on with it and do our best to keep everyone healthy
Canberra Raiders’ second-rower John Bateman on the closure of the NRL season.