John Bateman lands in hot water and is fined after disciplinary charge

Former Wigan Warriors star John Bateman is a real success story. The young man from West Yorkshire has gone on to do it all.

He started his career out at Bradford Bulls before making the big move to Wigan Warriors.

He helped the Warriors to Grand Final wins in 2016 and 2018 as well as to a Challenge Cup Final in 2017 where they lost to Hull FC.

He then earned his move to the NRL where he was named Dally M Backrower of the season in 2019 as the Canberra Raiders reached the Grand Final however he would be back in England before long guiding Wigan to the Challenge Cup in 2022.

An England international and a World Cup Finalists in 2017, Bateman has now returned to the NRL with Wests Tigers where he is clearly a key player even being named captain for a spell this year.

A bright spark in a difficult year for the club, Bateman has now landed in hot water with the disciplinary panel and is facing a fine.

Dragons pair Jack de Belin and Mat Feagai and Bateman have been charged by the match review committee after Thursday night’s clash in Wollongong.

De Belin’s Grade 1 Dangerous Contact charge is his third and subsequent offence and carries a $3000 fine with an early guilty plea. Should he contest the charge and be found guilty at the judiciary, de Belin would be suspended for two matches.

Feagai has been charged with a Careless High Tackle on Wests Tigers fullback Jahream Bula in the 27th minute and faces a fine of $1000 with an early guilty plea increasing to $1500 if he fights the charge and is unsuccessful.

The third man charged was Bateman, who can accept a $1000 fine if he enters an early guilty plea to a Grade 1 Dangerous Contact charge on Dragons five-eighth Talatau Amone.

Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh will return from suspension tonight against South Sydney after Broncos officials successfully applied to have Origin III included in his three-match ban.

Walsh was found guilty of contrary conduct after a marathon judiciary hearing on July 28 determined that he had used abusive language to question a decision by referee Chris Butler in Brisbane’s Round 18 loss to Gold Coast.

The ban meant the Maroons fullback was ineligible for selection in Origin III and would therefore have to serve the suspension in NRL matches, ruling him out until Round 22