Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens won’t be pressured into rushing John Bateman into the team for round one and says he has a major headache choosing between Daine Laurie and Charlie Staines at fullback for the season opener.
With England international Bateman finally scheduled to arrive in Australia this week, Sheens said he’s taking a long-term view about the star signing, who is yet to meet his new teammates after visa troubles.
Sheens and assistants Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah will have a little over a week to assess Bateman’s fitness before their opening game against the Titans at Leichhardt on Sunday week.
The 29-year-old has been forced to train solo in the United Kingdom due to the red tape hold-up. The Tigers announced his signing to a four-year deal on Boxing Day.
Asked whether former Raiders back-rower Bateman would start the season in his NRL side, Sheens said: “We’ll just let him settle down. It’s a long-term contract and I know everyone wants to get away to a good start, but I’m not going to make a decision on that until he gets here.
“We’ll have a talk and he’ll get around with us. He doesn’t know the players to any great degree or know the plays, he hasn’t done the conditioning that we have.”
The Tigers could consider using Bateman from the bench in the opening rounds to ease him into full match fitness, particularly given fellow recruit Isaiah Papali’i will start on the left edge and Asu Kepaoa shone in an unfamiliar role during a thumping trial win over the Raiders.
Bateman’s arrival will put an end to one of the longest-running sagas over summer as he waited almost two months for his visa to be approved.
It will be one less headache for Sheens, who is weighing up a decision between Laurie and Penrith recruit Staines for the No.1 jersey to start the season.
They both spent time in the position as the Tigers ran in seven tries against Canberra, and Laurie is angling for a new deal as the club also weighs up Luke Brooks’ contract situation.
On the Laurie-Staines debate, Sheens said: “All they did [on Sunday] was give me a tough task.
“The coaching staff and myself will sit down this week and sort out a few things with injuries, get a game plan ready. The players will have three days off and will come back and get ready for Leichhardt.”
The Tigers are expecting new captain Api Koroisau, Joe Ofahengaue and Brooks to be available for round one, but are doubtful Ken Maumalo (knee) will be fit after aggravating an old problem in the pre-season challenge.
Sheens said he was pleased with his side’s defence despite all the hype over their new-look attack.
“Give Dave Furner credit for that, our defence has never been pushed by anyone as being the thing except the coaches who preceded me,” he said. “But that was a good effort against a strong side.”
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Dual international Lote Tuqiri has backed John Bateman to make an immediate impact, like he did, in his return to the NRL with Wests Tigers after arriving from England just days before the club’s opening match.
“I don’t know if he will score a try on his first touch, but I’m sure he will get the job done,” said Tuqiri, who joined Wests Tigers from Leicester rugby union club on the eve of the 2010 season.
Bateman, who previously played for Canberra, has finally received visa approval to travel to Australia and is expected to meet his new Wests Tigers team-mates later this week as they prepare for the Round 1 clash with the Titans on March 5.
The England World Cup second-rower has been training on his own after securing a release from Wigan in December and Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens insists there is no rush to play him but Tuqiri believes Bateman will be ready for Round 1.
The former Kangaroos and Wallabies winger played for Wests Tigers after just one field session in 2010, while Sonny Bill Williams arrived from Japan to join Sydney Roosters just days before his NRL comeback in 2013.
“It was pretty easy on the wing but John Bateman plays in the second-row so it will be a bit different for him,” Tuqiri said. “But he is a tried-and-true professional who has played in the NRL before, so he knows what to expect.
“Tim Sheens has been around for a long time, he has coached the likes of Craig Bellamy and Todd Payten, and he will know how to get the best out of John Bateman.
"I am really looking forward to seeing how he goes because I think Wests Tigers are going to have a big year.”
Tuqiri, who won premierships with the Broncos in 2000 and Rabbitohs in 2014, was lured back to the NRL by Sheens in 2010 after switching codes in 2003 and playing 67 Tests for the Wallabies.
After a finishing a stint with Leicester Tigers in England, Tuqiri arrived in Sydney just days before Wests Tigers’ opening premiership match against Manly and spent most of the lead up studying a play book that Sheens had given him.
“I didn’t do much ballwork,” Tuqiri recalled. “I flew in on Wednesday and went to meet the boys and watch them train on Thursday.
"Friday was a day off, Saturday was my first training session but we didn’t do much, then Sunday I did the captain’s run and we played on Monday. It was really cool.
Tim is a coach who instils confidence in players.
"That is what he did with me. He said get yourself feeling right, take away this book to look at and I just had a few meetings with him.
“He is very, very clinical in what he does and there is a lot of stuff you have to read. That was good for me, and I did read it, but I have to admit I didn’t take too much of it in.
“I was just lucky that I had Chris Lawrence inside me, and he was a good talker. Benji Marshall was the other side of him, and Robbie Farah was a big talker too, so they made sure I knew what was going on.
“I think it is a good set-up with Benji and Robbie on the coaching staff with Tim. You have got three blokes who communicate differently, and I think they will make it easy for John Bateman to slot straight into the side.”
After eight seasons away from the NRL, Tuqiri admitted he had been nervous before his first match with Wests Tigers but scoring so early helped settle him down.
“I knew the play that we put on because we had practised it at the captain’s run and Chris Lawrence just said ‘stay outside me. I am going to try and get away on the short side, draw the winger and get the ball to you’," he said.
“Lo-and-behold, it worked that way and that just calmed my nerves right down. It was a really good way for me to say, ‘I’m back’. We celebrated and ended up winning the game that night.
“We didn’t have too bad a year, we were beaten by St George Illawarra by one point in the game before the grand final and they went on to win it.”
Williams made his return to the NRL with Sydney Roosters in their much-hyped 2013 season opener against South Sydney from the interchange bench and started his next 23 matches, including the 26-18 grand final triumph against Manly.
Sheens is believed to considering a similar approach for Round 1 with Bateman, who – like Williams – plays in the second-row.
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Offical: John Bateman arrives at Wests Tigers🐯… He’s here
Wests Tigers English recruit John Bateman has enjoyed a guided tour of his new home at the Zurich Centre, after landing in Sydney on Friday
Great to see him here 👍
https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2023/02/24/john-bateman-arrives-at-wests-tigers/
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Next Tuesday will be interesting. I wonder if he’ll get picked for round 1.
Will definitely be named, reckon he'll make the final bench.Next Tuesday will be interesting. I wonder if he’ll get picked for round 1.
Great to see him here 👍
https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2023/02/24/john-bateman-arrives-at-wests-tigers/
Im excited to see him in the team and Im hopeful that he is a runaway success. I have to say it though, he looks like a 15yo boy with skinny legs. Get some aussie steaks, beer into him and hit the weights boy.
@barra I do not see the need to rush him.. has had shoulder issues ect and definitely would be under done . Prefer to bring him on over a month. Do not make the 8 in one month a long season !
Great to see him here 👍
https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2023/02/24/john-bateman-arrives-at-wests-tigers/
Im excited to see him in the team and Im hopeful that he is a runaway success. I have to say it though, he looks like a 15yo boy with skinny legs. Get some aussie steaks, beer into him and hit the weights boy.
I thought the same, he somehow looks younger then when he was here last. One of the perks of having no sun in the old dart is no skin damage I guess.
Do you think he’ll start rd 1?He might need a bit longer than a week to adjust to the Australian heat after coming over . Professionally he’d be good to go and do his job but he may need a week just to make sure his body is up for it.
either way glad to see it’s sorted
Do you think he’ll start rd 1?He might need a bit longer than a week to adjust to the Australian heat after coming over . Professionally he’d be good to go and do his job but he may need a week just to make sure his body is up for it.
either way glad to see it’s sorted
I reckon so, off the bench.
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I think he’ll start. I think Pole & Papali’i start back row with him, both can play good minutes. Bateman can switch to centre if needed as I doubt Sheens has any backs on the bench. Plus having him there just gives everyone a boost. Might be a bit of a risk especially if hot but physically he always looks ready to go.Do you think he’ll start rd 1?He might need a bit longer than a week to adjust to the Australian heat after coming over . Professionally he’d be good to go and do his job but he may need a week just to make sure his body is up for it.
either way glad to see it’s sorted
I reckon so, off the bench.
