NRL: John Bateman will leave the Raiders at the end of the season

John Bateman has repeatedly denied he was agitating to leave Canberra but has now confirmed he’ll quit the Raiders at the end of 2020.

John Bateman wants out of Canberra.

NRL star John Bateman will quit the Canberra Raiders at the end of the season.

The Englishman, who was a key cog in the Green Machine’s run to last year’s grand final, has not played a game in 2020 because of a shoulder injury and told the club this morning he won’t be hanging around next year.

Bateman was technically contracted to Canberra until the end of 2021, but his deal allows for him to renegotiate each year.

Raiders CEO Don Furner said in a statement Bateman was leaving after being given permission to explore other options.

“The club made the difficult decision to allow John to pursue other long-term options and as a result, 2020 will be his final season with the Raiders,” Furner said.

“We’re looking forward to John returning from his shoulder injury soon and finishing his time by helping us make the semi finals again.”

The Daily Telegraph reports the Dragons and Bulldogs are in the hunt for Bateman’s services, while UK Super League club Wigan is also keen to bring him back to England.

Earlier this year Fox Sports’ chief NRL reporter James Hooper said Bateman had been agitating for a release from Canberra, but the 26-year-old denied those claims, hitting back at the journalist on Twitter.

“Never once have I asked for a release, bulls*** story,” Bateman wrote last month in response to Hooper’s report.

“Never once have I asked for a release (and) neither has my management,” he added in a separate statement before the season restarted after the coronavirus-enforced break.

“Canberra gave me permission to talk to other clubs months ago because they’re tight on the (salary) cap next year and have nothing for me from 2022 onwards.

“I have a renegotiation clause in my deal for every year, that’s why we are working through it.

“I love the Raiders and want to be here. So settle yourselves down and let’s get talking about the season starting back up.”

John Bateman is on the move.

Hooper stood by his version of events after Bateman took a swing at him on social media, saying the forward’s new agent had been working to get him a more lucrative deal than the one he is currently on, worth a reported $600,000 a season.

There were suggestions because Bateman was crowned the Dally M second-rower of the year in 2019, he and his management believed he could make more money elsewhere.

“His agent Isaac Moses has been repeatedly at the Canberra Raiders agitating for a release since the grand final last season,” Hooper told Triple M in May.

“He wasn’t his agent when he signed with the Canberra Raiders. As a result I don’t think John Bateman will be at the Raiders next year.”

Bateman, whose young daughter lives in the UK, admitted last year he would talk to Canberra in the off-season about a salary upgrade.

“While I’m over here mate, I have to do what’s best for me and best for my family,” Bateman told NRL.com ahead of the 2019 grand final. “Moving forward I’ll just have to weigh up my options and see what’s there.

“My little girl, I want to give her the best opportunities and life and I’ll see what those opportunities are.

“You’ve got to earn as much money in your career as you can mate, I won’t lie to you. She’s so young and I need to give her the best opportunities in life. Whatever they are I will do because that’s what’s most important to me — my family.”