From Bradford to Townsville, Bateman feeling at home

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From Bradford to Townsville, Bateman feeling at home

After struggling to find his feet with Wests Tigers, England veteran John Bateman says he feels at home with North Queensland, on and off the field.

The 31-year-old impressed in his first run in Cowboys colours, starting in the second row with his team outplaying Melbourne 36-24 in their NRL trial on Sunday.

Bateman combined well as part of North Queensland’s new right-hand edge and showed his competitiveness in defence by dislodging the ball from Storm big man, and former Tigers teammate Stefano Utoikamanu, as he charged up to start a set.

The England international said he had quickly settled into tropical Townsville, which apart from the huge gap in temperature reminded him of Bradford in Yorkshire where he grew up.

“Not the place and stuff like that but it’s very similar to where I’m from myself in England,” Bateman told AAP.

“It’s a working class place, people work hard and stuff like that, people are very similar to where I come from and quite a lot of the blokes in the team and the people in the team are very similar themselves.

“So I think I’ve found quite a lot of mates here as well which has been really good and my family love it up there.

“We’re really enjoying it and obviously you probably could see a little bit from how I’m playing my footy.”

Loaned to English Super League side Warrington last July, he admitted that he was never at his best at Wests Tigers, still troubled following ankle surgery.

The three-time premiership wooden-spooners allowed him to cut short his deal with both parties making a fresh start.

“I’ve probably carried a couple of injuries over the last couple of years, ankle and foot, so it’s just good to feel fit and fresh and get some good training and get some good combinations going,” Bateman said.

“It’s good to be back out there.”

The Cowboys are in Melbourne until Thursday, looking to replicate last season when a mini pre-season camp helped them surge to a 4-1 start to the year.

“We haven’t got a lot planned, just one day’s training on Wednesday,” coach Todd Payten told AAP.

“We’ve got some time off and will spend some time away together as a newish group.

“It’s a cold climate camp, for want of a better term, get out of the humidity up north and the boys refresh out of the heat and we can hit the group running when we get home.

“It worked well for us last year.”

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