John Bateman’s tumultuous time at the Wests Tigers has officially come to an end.
The England international has been released from the final two years of his deal, with the backrower joining North Queensland.
Bateman has inked a two-year contract with the Cowboys.
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John Bateman signs with North QLD Cowboys after Tigers release
Bateman joined the Tigers on a four-year deal ahead of the 2023 campaign, citing how he believed the club was on the verge of a turnaround after years spent in the doldrums.
However, his time at Concord proved to be a miserable one with a wooden spoon finish during his first full season with the club, and a mid-season release to Warrington coming during his second term.
The period at the Tigers is a far cry from when he first arrived on Aussie shores with Canberra where he established himself as one of the best backrowers in the NRL.
Bateman won the Dally M Second Rower of the Year award in his debut season at the Raiders, while also featuring in the 2019 grand final against the Sydney Roosters.
The Cowboys have taken the chance on getting the original version of Bateman, with the 31-year-old set to provide some much needed experience in their forward pack.
"We have been in the market for an experienced forward with the ability to play either in the middle or on an edge," the club's 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."
Bateman leaves the Tigers having made 32 appearances for the club across a two-year spell.
It is reported the NRL stragglers will chip in a significant chunk of money towards Bateman's salary in Townsville.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys are hopeful that Bateman's big-game experience will help to bring along a talented crop of backrowers for the future.
"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," Luck added.
