Tigers' star recruit locked out of Australia

1 year ago 51

Star Wests Tigers enlistee John Bateman could miss the commencement of the play owed to visa issues arsenic the nine scrambles to get the English guardant up to velocity with preseason grooming programs.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports Bateman is inactive successful bluish England arsenic the Tigers effort to propulsion strings down the scenes to get the 29-year-old into the state earlier their circular 1 clash connected March 5.

The Tigers' archetypal proceedings is successful Auckland against the Warriors connected February 9, nevertheless Bateman won't diagnostic successful that game, with his caller nine aiming to person him successful the broadside to play their 2nd preseason crippled against the Raiders connected February 19.

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Bateman couldn't use for a visa until a declaration was registered and since the Tigers announced his four-year woody connected Boxing Day, the Christmas play has delayed his exertion process.

"There person been a mates of issues with the visa, and the authorities [departments] successful some countries unopen down implicit Christmas, truthful that slowed america down," manager Tim Sheens said.

"We're not putting a day connected erstwhile he'll beryllium here. We've got migration radical and experts trying to benignant it out.

"It's a spot unusual, but he's besides not coming connected his own."

After securing an aboriginal merchandise from Super League nine Wigan, Bateman wasn't officially owed to be grooming until aboriginal January since helium played successful the Rugby League World Cup precocious past year.

The hold has resulted successful the planetary missing 2 weeks of training but Sheens said the nine has been successful regular interaction with him.

"He's inactive doing plentifulness of weights and wide fitness," helium said.

"We're sending him videos of our grooming sessions and plays, and I'm successful changeless interaction with him — we'll talk 2 oregon 3 times a week. He's alert of everything we're doing here."

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