John Bateman has become one of the greatest backrowers in Super League – if not world rugby league.
With the ability to more than damage those twice his size and weight, Bateman is likely to be a shoo-in for the World Cup at the end of 2022.
In doing so, the former Bradford Bulls youngster will rub shoulders against a number of ex-teammates from his days playing at the Canberra Raiders in 2019 and 2020.
During those two years, Bateman earned a reputation for himself as one of the toughest in the game, helping the Raiders to a Grand Final in 2019 as the second-rower scooped up the Dally M Medal for his position.
Being from Bradford, however, the 28-year-old continually gets asked whether or not he would ever return to Odsal.