JOHN BATEMAN will be a Warrington Wolves player until the end of the 2024 Super League season.
But, where that move came from and why it happened took a lot of people by surprise.
Here was a player that was enjoying life in the pack of Wests Tigers, obviously settled in Australia and doing all he could to lift the Concord club off the bottom of the NRL ladder.
However, a move to Super League came to fruition rather quickly – and here’s why.
NRL360’s James Hooper revealed that Bateman and Wests head coach Benji Marshall had a public bust-up following the Tigers’ 42-28 loss to South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Bateman was criticised by Marshall and told that he would be dropped to reserve grade following sub-par performances, with the former Wigan Warriors forward hitting back against the treatment of senior players.
“There’s been a blow-up since their game against South Sydney on the weekend where he and Benji have had quite a public set-to in front of the other players,” Hooper said.
“He let Benji know in no uncertain terms that he thinks Benji treats the senior players as though they’re rookies and he treats the rookies as though they’re senior players. So, they’ve had a big bust-up.
“Bateman at his best was a damn good player. Let’s be realistic. He hasn’t been at his best and is a smaller edge backrower. Time catches up with every player and I just feel as though he wasn’t going to be able to make an impact in the NRL anymore.
“I think he was going to get dropped off the back of the loss to South Sydney. They led 28-26 he takes a play one carry early in a set, tries a risky offload and then Souths end up getting the ball and they get beat… Benji was giving an honest appraisal of what he thought of John’s performance. John didn’t appreciate it and just went ‘I’ve had enough of this – I am sick of you treating the senior players like we’re kids’.
“And in fairness to the Tigers kids they have been their best players – (Lachlan) Galvin, Fonua Pole, Jahream Bula. They’re all the ones that are actually having a red hot crack so they’ve had a bust up which to me, Braith, reading between the lines says Bateman won’t be back.”
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