England back-rower John Bateman has refused to elaborate on reports linking him with a potential return to the NRL with the Wests Tigers.
Bateman enjoyed two successful seasons with Canberra in 2019 and 2020 before returning to Super League side Wigan.
A Wigan spokesman told AAP there had been no official approach for Bateman's services.
The 29 year-old has a contract until the end of the 2024 season and was not about to give the story more airtime ahead of England's World Cup quarter-final with Papua New Guinea.
"I'm pretty sure I'm here to talk about England and the World Cup," Bateman said.
"I'll talk to you about that after the World Cup. I want to focus on the World Cup, to be fair."
Bateman will be part of an England side aiming for redemption against the Kumuls.
He featured in the Great Britain Lions team - which was England in all-but name - that lost to PNG in Port Moresby in 2019.
It was the first time a Great Britain or England side had been defeated by the Kumuls in 29 years.
"It was pretty embarrassing, that whole tour was embarrassing," Bateman said.
"We hadn't lost to them for so many years and they handed it to us.
"I think a few of the boys who played in that game are looking forward to this weekend.
"It's the main sport over there and they put the game in high esteem. They'll be coming out all guns firing and looking forward to getting stuck into us."
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-league/bateman-coy-over-links-with-nrls-tigers-c-8740954
the opposite of Nathan Brown who was keen to declare his interest.
Suggests a deal has been done with Bateman. Great news 
England back-rower John Bateman has refused to elaborate on reports linking him with a potential return to the NRL with the Wests Tigers.
Bateman enjoyed two successful seasons with Canberra in 2019 and 2020 before returning to Super League side Wigan.
A Wigan spokesman told AAP there had been no official approach for Bateman's services.
The 29 year-old has a contract until the end of the 2024 season and was not about to give the story more airtime ahead of England's World Cup quarter-final with Papua New Guinea.
"I'm pretty sure I'm here to talk about England and the World Cup," Bateman said.
"I'll talk to you about that after the World Cup. I want to focus on the World Cup, to be fair."
Bateman will be part of an England side aiming for redemption against the Kumuls.
He featured in the Great Britain Lions team - which was England in all-but name - that lost to PNG in Port Moresby in 2019.
It was the first time a Great Britain or England side had been defeated by the Kumuls in 29 years.
"It was pretty embarrassing, that whole tour was embarrassing," Bateman said.
"We hadn't lost to them for so many years and they handed it to us.
"I think a few of the boys who played in that game are looking forward to this weekend.
"It's the main sport over there and they put the game in high esteem. They'll be coming out all guns firing and looking forward to getting stuck into us."
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-league/bateman-coy-over-links-with-nrls-tigers-c-8740954
He didn’t deny it. Very positive.
Maybe he needs to “discuss it with his manager” at the end of the World Cup 😆
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England back-rower John Bateman has refused to elaborate on reports linking him with a potential return to the NRL with the Wests Tigers.
Bateman enjoyed two successful seasons with Canberra in 2019 and 2020 before returning to Super League side Wigan.
A Wigan spokesman told AAP there had been no official approach for Bateman's services.
The 29 year-old has a contract until the end of the 2024 season and was not about to give the story more airtime ahead of England's World Cup quarter-final with Papua New Guinea.
"I'm pretty sure I'm here to talk about England and the World Cup," Bateman said.
"I'll talk to you about that after the World Cup. I want to focus on the World Cup, to be fair."
Bateman will be part of an England side aiming for redemption against the Kumuls.
He featured in the Great Britain Lions team - which was England in all-but name - that lost to PNG in Port Moresby in 2019.
It was the first time a Great Britain or England side had been defeated by the Kumuls in 29 years.
"It was pretty embarrassing, that whole tour was embarrassing," Bateman said.
"We hadn't lost to them for so many years and they handed it to us.
"I think a few of the boys who played in that game are looking forward to this weekend.
"It's the main sport over there and they put the game in high esteem. They'll be coming out all guns firing and looking forward to getting stuck into us."
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-league/bateman-coy-over-links-with-nrls-tigers-c-8740954
He didn’t deny it. Very positive.
Classic CLICK BAIT article,
This is to confirm that he isn't saying anything at the moment.
Got me also
@spartan117 If it was all rubbish he would have just denied it. Refusing to talk about it is very positive for us, means there's definitely something brewing.
If you had to choose between Nathan Brown or Woodsy coming back as a bench forward, who would you go with?
@avocadoontoast
Brown
@avocadoontoast Nathan Brown
For Brown to come over you'd think we'd have open up another roster spot.
There's only 1 roster spot left assuming Brooks stay and Klemmer + Bateman join. If Brooks leaves in a swap for Klemmer we'd have two spots left.
Is the positional mix to aim for with your top 30 something like this?
8 backs (Laurie, Staines, Nofa, Kepaoa, Toa, Maumalo, Saukuru, Naden, Tupou, Reilly is actually 10 which is too many)
4 halves ( Brooks, Hastings, Doueihi is actually only 3)
4 dummy halves (Api, Rua, Simpkin is actually only 3)
6 edge players (Talau, Blore, Tumeth, Bateman, Isaiah, Simpkins)
8 props (Stefano, Seyfarth, Twal, Fainu, Joffa, Pole, Klemmer is actually only 7)
With 29 signed (including Klemmer and Bateman which is dangerous I know) you'd have to assume the last player signed covers the halves and hooker?
I'm still surprised we didn't have a proper crack at Lodge. He would have been perfect.
@avocadoontoast he doesn't want to come here given how he was treated by the club last time he was here e.g. u.s.a. incident
For Avo
Article from foxsports 3.11.22
The Tigers are also reportedly trying to lure David Klemmer or Tyson Frizell, but have baulked at a swap deal for halfback Luke Brooks at this stage.
Klemmer is the frontrunner to link with the Tigers because they would not have to give up Brooks to get him.
@jedi-tiger was talking about the moles article Jedi. He’s the one who is close to Sheens.
@jedi-tiger Fair enough. But I was thinking a few days ago wasn’t Justin Pascoe the one who pulled the contract for Moses off the table in 2017? Makes you wonder if Moses would hold any grudges.
@jedi-tiger Fair enough. But I was thinking a few days ago wasn’t Justin Pascoe the one who pulled the contract for Moses off the table in 2017? Makes you wonder if Moses would hold any grudges.
I thought it was Cleary.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
@russtutty63 as Garry said I think cleary arrived and pulled the contract from Moses