NRL: Canberra back-rower John Bateman declares Raiders ready to defy history
No team in the NRL era has won the premiership from outside the top four, but Canberra back-rower John Bateman says the Raiders are daring to dream.
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Canberra back-rower John Bateman has put the remaining finals teams on notice, proclaiming the Raiders are more prepared to win the premiership than last season when they fell at the last hurdle to the Roosters.
The Green Machine will have to create history to claim this year’s title after finishing the regular season in fifth position, but Bateman believes his side are primed to defy the record books.
No team has won the trophy from outside the top four in the NRL era, but this stat doesn’t seem to worry Canberra.
Bateman says the Raiders learnt valuable lessons from losing last year’s decider to the Roosters in heartbreaking fashion.
“We are probably ahead of where we were last year,” Bateman said.
“We know where we are as a team, and we know what we need to do as a team to win those big games.
“Having that year of experience last year has helped us massively going into this year.
“I think everyone has seen the Roosters come through and win it twice, so why can’t we do it?
“We have confidence in ourselves, and we know what these big games are all about.
“If we go out and perform to our best, then we can do it.”
This year’s finals series will have extra meaning for Bateman given he will return to England at season’s end to rejoin Wigan.
Add in the pain of losing last year’s grand final to the Roosters, and the British international is primed for a big finals campaign.
“It is possibly the last one that I’ll play at GIO Stadium this week, so it is a pretty weird feeling,” he said.
“I’ll probably just take it all in when I first run out.
“Then I’ll try and forget about it and get on with the game, then at the end of the game I’ll soak it in a bit more.
“But I suppose I just need to look at it as another game that we just need to get the win in.”
Bateman sat out last week’s Cronulla win to rest his injured elbow, but he is rested and ready to go for Saturday’s finals rematch against the Sharks.
“It (my elbow) feels pretty good,” he said.
If I really wanted to push it, I probably could have played last weekend, but the physios and doctors said give it a week off.
“It felt pretty weird watching them on the weekend, but it was good to sit on the other side and cheer the lads on.
“The week off does give the body time to rest and look after itself.”
Canberra back-rower Elliott Whitehead will also return on Saturday after being rested in the final round.
Whitehead is wary of Cronulla despite the Raiders recording a 10-point victory over them without their stars in the last round.
“They (the Sharks) have got some quality players,” Whitehead said.
“Wade Graham and Andrew Fifita and stuff, so we are going to have to be on.
“It’s the finals and they have got a good record down here, so we just need to concentrate on our game.
“I believe if will do that we will get the win we need to move on to the next round.”
Originally published as NRL: Canberra back-rower John Bateman declares Raiders ready to defy history