Tigers coach Tim Sheens has shrugged off strategies gun recruit John Bateman is nursing an harm — however conceded he was uncertain when the Englishmen would arrive in Australia.
Report urged 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.
However, talking to The Daily Telegraph, Sheens mentioned Bateman’s absence was solely resulting from a problem along with his visa.
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“He has had a problem (with an old syndesmosis injury) but not to the point of any concern for us,” Sheens mentioned to News Corp.
“He has got a couple of bumps and bruises on him but he played the World Cup.
“That (the ankle issue) is not going to be the problem. The problem is getting him here and that is almost solved.”
After paying a reported $250,000 switch payment to Wigan to safe Bateman’s signature, the Tigers might be determined to see the consultant gun on the sector come Round 1.
But because it stands, Sheens remained uncertain when the backrower would arrive in Australia and whether or not he might be match sufficient to take the sector.
“I am not putting any time on it because all that does is there is more and more confusion if it doesn’t happen,” he added.
“Again, I am not going to make a judgment on that (his fitness) until he gets here because once he gets here he has to fit in with everybody and pick up his running and his kilometres on his legs.
“Whether he does or not (start the season) is not worrying me”.
Bateman joins Apisai Koroisau, Isaiah Papali’i, David Klemmer and Charlie Staines in making the transfer to Leichhardt.
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Meanwhile, gun playmaker Adam Doueihi is reportedly contemplating his future after the Tigers provided him a one-year extension.
Last week, Doueihi expressed his want to captain the merger membership, explaining he has the “natural leadership qualities” to steer Sheens’ facet across the park.
It’s undoubtedly one thing I aspire to be,” the 24-year-old advised foxsports.com.au.
“When I began at Souths I used to be within the rising management group and possibly learnt my most again there off the management crew — John Sutton, Sam Burgess, Greg Inglis, Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker.
“I used to be fairly lucky to only hearken to every little 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 talents and I’m all the time doing stuff off the sector to assist enhance. Whether or not it’s talking to 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 might apply to me.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au