Tigers coach Tim Sheens has shrugged off strategies gun recruit John Bateman is nursing an harm — however conceded he was not sure when the Englishmen would arrive in Australia.
Report recommended an ongoing syndesmosis harm was behind the 29-year-old’s delayed return to the NRL after signing a four-year take care of the merger membership in December.
Watch the brand new look NRL Pre-Season unique to Fox League obtainable on Kayo Sports activities. New to Kayo? Begin your free trial now >
Nonetheless, chatting with The Every day Telegraph, Sheens stated Bateman’s absence was solely on account of a difficulty together with his visa.
“He has had an issue (with an outdated syndesmosis harm) however to not the purpose of any concern for us,” Sheens stated to Information Corp.
“He has bought a few bumps and bruises on him however he performed the World Cup.
“That (the ankle subject) just isn’t going to be the issue. The issue is getting him right here and that’s nearly solved.”
After paying a reported $250,000 switch charge to Wigan to safe Bateman’s signature, the Tigers will probably be determined to see the consultant gun on the sector come Spherical 1.
However because it stands, Sheens remained not sure when the backrower would arrive in Australia and whether or not he will probably be match sufficient to take the sector.
“I’m not placing any time on it as a result of all that does is there may be increasingly more confusion if it doesn’t occur,” he added.
“Once more, I’m not going to make a judgment on that (his health) till he will get right here as a result of as soon as he will get right here he has to slot in with everyone and choose up his working and his kilometres on his legs.
“Whether or not he does or not (begin the season) just isn’t worrying me”.
Bateman joins Apisai Koroisau, Isaiah Papali’i, David Klemmer and Charlie Staines in making the transfer to Leichhardt.
In the meantime, gun playmaker Adam Doueihi is reportedly contemplating his future after the Tigers supplied him a one-year extension.
Final week, Doueihi expressed his need to captain the merger membership, explaining he has the “pure management qualities” to steer Sheens’ aspect across the park.
It’s positively one thing I aspire to be,” the 24-year-old advised foxsports.com.au.
“Once I began at Souths I used to be within the rising management group and doubtless learnt my most again there off the management staff — John Sutton, Sam Burgess, Greg Inglis, Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker.
“I used to be fairly lucky to simply take heed to every thing they needed to say and watch they did day-in, day-out each on and off the sector — I absorbed all that in.
“Since I’ve come throughout to the Tigers, I’ve been within the management group the previous couple of years and I aspire to be a captain.
“I really feel as if I’ve pure management skills and I’m at all times doing stuff off the sector to assist enhance. Whether or not or not it’s chatting with a frontrunner of one other organisation, or one other sportsperson — I’m making an attempt to select completely different peoples’ brains and the way it may apply to me.
Initially revealed as ‘The issue is getting him right here’: John Bateman hearsay squashed
