The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys have agreed to a two-year contract with English International forward John Bateman for the 2025-26 seasons.
Bateman joins the Cowboys after securing an early release from the Wests Tigers.
After a prolific Super League career, which began as a 17-year-old with Bradford in 2011, Bateman moved to the NRL with the Canberra Raiders in 2019.
He won Dally M Second Rower of the Year in his debut season with the Raiders, before heading back to England following the 2020 campaign.
Bateman returned to the NRL with the Wests Tigers prior to the 2023 season.
In total, the 31-year-old has appeared in 219 Super League games and a further 66 in the NRL. He won Super League titles in 2016 and 2018 as well as a Challenge Cup with the Wigan Warriors.
Bateman has registered 26 appearances for England and represented Great Britian on four occasions.
“We have been in the market for an experienced forward with the ability to play either in the middle or on an edge,” Cowboys General Manager of Football Micheal Luck said.
“John bases his game around defensive intent and willingness to compete in every situation – a couple of areas we’ve made no secret we want to improve significantly on in 2025.
“Along with what he does on the field, we also believe he will be a valuable mentor for our younger forwards in Heilum Luki, Jeremiah Nanai and Griffin Neame.”
