John Bateman: Super League players are every bit as good as those in the NRL

JOHN Bateman is back in Super League with a message – it is not massively inferior to the NRL, as some would have you believe.

The England star has returned to Wigan following a stellar stint with Canberra Raiders, with family reasons at the heart of his choice.

Bateman became arguably the world’s best back rower after emerging from a competition whose fans seemingly do a great job of talking down.

Listen to some and you could be forgiven for thinking, ‘What is the point? The NRL is that much better.’

But having experienced every side Down Under, he knows that on the field there are dozens of players here that could easily cope.

Bateman said: “If I’m honest with you, that was the one big thing I realised when I was over there.

“You’re just another body. They all have arms, they all have legs. Over there, people are paid more money so straight away they’re looked at that as being better.

“But I played against players that were playing regularly in first teams when there are players here that could easily do the exact same job.

“It makes you realise they’re not levels above us.

“We’re brought up watching them on TV thinking that but it’s not that way at all. Don’t get me wrong, it’s tough and hard as there’s more choice of people.

“If you have more people playing, you’re going to have a better competition as people are constantly pushing each other.”

Now he is back, Bateman has realised the biggest differences come off the field.

In Australia, the NRL is regarded like Premier League football is here and is marketed as such – that popularity makes it more attractive to the most talented kids.

Also fewer matches make them more intense. So he would like to see some chopped from Super League’s packed schedule.

Bateman, 27, added: “We can get Super League as consistent as the NRL, that’s probably down to the amount of games we play over here.

“Sometimes if you keep players fresh, consistency in games is going to be at a higher level.

“And the media interest was a surprise to me. That can be improved on here.

“The reason why players are so big there is they’re made into the game really. People over there are made to feel like they know the players a lot more and that’s one way Super League can go.

“Getting players’ names out there is what it’s all about. As soon as I landed, I was pretty much known straight away because of what had been put out by clubs or the NRL itself.”