Warrington Wolves Boss Sam Burgess Ponders Proper Positioning for New Recruit John Bateman
Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess is still determining the best way to integrate two-time Super League champion John Bateman into his lineup, following the new recruit’s eye-catching debut last Friday.
Bateman, who joins the Wolves on a loan deal from NRL side Wests Tigers until the end of the season, made his first appearance for the club in their 22-4 home defeat against Hull KR. Despite arriving in the UK just this week and still settling in, the 30-year-old England international impressed Burgess with his 60-minute shift off the interchange bench.
“He’s come off a long flight… he got in Monday, trained Tuesday and he’s living in a hotel at the moment,” Burgess said. “He’s not settled in by any means, that’s our job to get him settled in, but I thought he was great.”
Burgess acknowledged that Bateman’s versatility presents both opportunities and challenges in terms of finding his optimal role within the Wolves setup. Having played alongside each other for England in the past, the Warrington boss is well aware of Bateman’s ability to slot into various positions, from left center to back row.
“He’s good anywhere, he can play anywhere John,” Burgess explained. “I’ve played with him at left centre outside me, he’s played left back-row and I’m in the middle, I’ve played with him when I’m the edge and he’s the middle… I know he can do all of those roles great, because I’ve played next to him in all of them.”
With Bateman’s long-term role still to be determined, Burgess believes the new signing’s versatility will allow the Wolves to manage their squad effectively in the coming weeks.
“What (having him) does, it gives us an opportunity to rest a couple of guys over the next few weeks and give him some time in our system,” he said.
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