John Bateman can dominate ‘undersold’ Super League, which Warrington can win
SUPER LEAGUE 2021 – STARTS FRIDAY
JOHN Bateman can not just take Wigan by the scruff of the neck take the whole of Super League – a Super League that should sell itself better.
The England star is back after a stellar stint in the NRL with Canberra Raiders, where he established himself as arguably the world’s best back rower.
Now Sky Sports’ rugby league expert Brian Carney has told the superstar the stage is set for him to rise to the very top here – but the mad finish that saw Jack Welsby snatch Grand Final glory for St Helens should have been pushed more.
He said: “It’s brilliant to have a player of his calibre come back. It excites me he’s back.
“What I’d like to see is John Bateman take hold of Wigan and make it his own side. Since Andy Farrell had them, has anybody made it their own team?
“John has to own this Wigan side then why not try to own the competition? Why not be that dominant player?
“John Bateman’s got the ability to take his team by the scruff of the neck and also the competition. but how do more people not know about this? How is our game not more popular?
“Players and clubs create good stories but collectively as a game we haven’t been great at telling them.
“When Jonny May scored for England RU against Italy, tell me what our game did to publicise the fact we have those tries each week. We’ve got to be better at storytelling.”
Australian legend Greg Inglis coming out of retirement at Warrington is the biggest name signing for 2021 – but Josh Reynolds and Zane Tetevano are among the other big name imports.
And Carney believes them, along with homegrown talent, will raise the standard of Super League.
He added: “I’m excited about seeing Greg Inglis out on the field again. If we can get to 60 or 70 per cent of his peak, we’ll have an unbelievably good player.
“But I don’t think there are going to be many rollovers. No-one is going to be cut away at the bottom of the table, there’s going to be a hell of a scrap that’ll go to the very end. It’s going to be incredibly competitive.”
St Helens go for a three-peat of title victories, Wigan aim to avenge their Grand Final heartbreak but Carney feels a 66-year wait for a title may end – with an English star leading the way.
He said: “I’ll go for Warrington to win it.
“They’ve got a squad that finished level on winning percentage with St Helens last year, they were a win behind Wigan all year.
“They’re not having to come from far behind the pack and they’ve a brilliant signing for this year who was signed for last year, Gareth Widdop.
“He might as well have not been in the competition last year but if they can get a fraction of his ability, it’ll be like a new signing.”
WATCH all six matches from Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2021 Super League season live on Sky Sports and NOW from Friday.
