LIFE’S GRAND Bateman will Tyke some stopping in Aussie final
PROUD Yorkshireman John Bateman wants to do his talking on the field in tomorrow’s NRL Grand Final in Sydney.
The former Wigan and Bradford star, 26, has shone in his first season Down Under for Canberra and was last week named back rower of the year.
But off the field his impact has been a little less clear after he featured in a Mitsubishi TV advert that needed to be subtitled because of his strong northern accent.
Come game time, though, there has been nothing confusing about Bateman’s all-action contributions alongside fellow Englishmen Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead and Ryan Sutton.
“This time last year I was getting ready for a Super League Grand Final so it’s pretty mad that I’m stood here now getting ready for an NRL one,” he said ahead of the clash with Sydney Roosters.
“We’ve gone really well as a team this year – we’ve worked so hard and we deserve this. The semi-final against Souths, we probably weren’t at our best but we managed to get the win and now we’re here.”
The match will also see Bateman go up against one of the sport’s top back rowers in Roosters captain Boyd Cordner.
Bateman faced the
New South Wales skipper for the only time five years ago, and now the pair are seen as two of the best in their position.
Bateman added: “It’s exciting – he played really well last week and I’m looking forward to it. “The last time I played against him was when I made my debut for Wigan in the World Club Challenge.
“I’ve not managed to play against him since.
“I missed the game in the middle of the season with my broken cheekbone.
“He’s a fantastic player and it should be exciting. “You look at who the best back rowers in the game are and he clearly is one.
“I’m looking forward to going toe-to-toe with him this week.” Bateman’s former Wigan (right) team-mate Sutton is expected to miss out on selection, with England winger Ryan Hall not making their team in recent weeks.
Sydney are coached by former Catalans boss Trent Robinson, who has exchanged words with opposite number Ricky Stuart over the controversial ball stripping rule in the NRL.
Players are allowed to fall off a tackle leaving the remaining one to steal the ball one-on-one – and Canberra have been masters of it all season, led by Hodgson who has done it 14 times.
Robinson has criticised the rule and said: “I haven’t changed my opinion on it.
“But it’s a part of the game now so you have to train for it.”