The Canberra Raiders have added to their list of British recruits by adding John Bateman to their ranks.

Bateman joins fellow countrymen Elliott Whitehead, Josh Hodgson and Ryan Sutton.

Raiders winger Jordan Rapana has known the Brits for a couple of years, but still has one distinct issue with them.

โ€œTo be honest I still struggle to understand Elliott and Hodgo and Iโ€™ve been pretty good mates with them for the past two years,โ€ Rapana told The Daily Telegraph.

โ€œHeโ€™s a new boy so heโ€™s going to have to have little Hodgo there translating for him, heโ€™s pretty hard to understand.โ€

Bateman has already played 15 Tests for England along with 167 Super League games for Wigan and has previously been nominated for the Golden Boot.

The 25-year-old is looking forward to testing himself in the NRL.

โ€œI just thought I wanted a good challenge. Iโ€™m looking forward to working with them (Raiders pack) to learn off them and improve my game,โ€ Bateman told The Daily Telegraph.

โ€œI mainly play big minutes in the back-row, but often spend time in the middle from there.โ€

6 COMMENTS

  1. Don’t be surprised if we attempt to add George Williams next year also…I hear that he’s in our sights for next season.

  2. It great for Aussie League to have a few Englishmen playing our game. Ricky had better watch his back, When Souffths sack Bennett nest season the Raiders with half the English team might get an idea to hire the current English coach Benn๐Ÿšซett

  5. It’s a lil stroke of genius really, our biggest signing a few years back
    was Tedesco and we all know how that turned out right? He’s now soaking up the sun in Bondi…Since then no one who already lives in Australia wants to come to Canberra and live in the cold, especially when there are other options out there eg Johnson (he was never gonna come to Canberra). So, how do we get quality players who don’t mind the cold??? England…I think its smart…

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