JOHN Bateman's move to Warrington Wolves for the remainder of the 2024 season has been confirmed.
The Wire have announced the England international back-rower is on his way to join up with Sam Burgess' squad for the rest of the year having joined from NRL side Wests Tigers.
It is thought Bateman will return to Australia for 2025 and while he has two years remaining on his contract at Wests, it is unclear whether he will return to the Tigers.
> Read what John Bateman has had to say about joining Warrington Wolves here
The 30-year-old - a two-time Super League Grand Final winner with Wigan Warriors - is on his way back to England and will be eligible to make his debut when Hull KR visit The Halliwell Jones Stadium next week.
And head coach Sam Burgess believes the type of player Bateman is means he will fit in well with what he already has within his squad.
“It’s fantastic for us to be able to bring in someone with John’s quality for the final part of the season," he said of Bateman, who will wear squad number 42.
“He’s achieved so much in the game and brings a vast amount of experience to us.
"He’s a fierce competitor with a fantastic work rate and he’ll complement what we’ve been building so far this season.”
> COMMENT: Why John Bateman's signing gives Wire the best of both worlds
Bateman and his new head coach Sam Burgess played together on multiple occasions for England (Image: Anthony Au-Yeung)
Having made his Super League debut for hometown club Bradford Bulls in 2011, it was a move to Wigan for the 2014 season that saw his career really take off.
A superb four-year spell saw him win two Grand Finals - both at his new club's expense in 2016 and 2018 - and the 2017 World Club Challenge.
That form earned him a move to the NRL with Canberra Raiders, with his first season in 2019 seeing him impress enough to be named the competition's leading back-rower as the Raiders reached the Grand Final.
He returned to Wigan in 2021 and added a Challenge Cup winner's medal to his collection before heading back Down Under to join Wests in 2023.
John Bateman lifts the Challenge Cup in Wigan colours in 2022 (Image: Will Palmer/SWpix.com)
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