A leading NRL journalist has claimed that he will be “stunned” if John Bateman returns to Wests Tigers as he revealed the details behind the spat that triggered his exit and move to Warrington Wolves.
Reports that John Bateman would make a move to Warrington Wolves started early last week and despite Sam Burgess playing coy at his press conference midweek, the move was announced on Friday morning.
Bateman joins the club on a loan deal until the end of the season and simply adds more strength to Warrington’s already dominant pack but with this latest revelation from down under about Bateman’s bridges apparently being burned at Wests, it begs the question of whether Warrington could make a move for him on a permanent basis in 2025.
Speaking on Triple M radio down under, journalist James Hooper was asked for his verdict on whether fans could see John Bateman in a Wests Tigers jersey again and the answer was definitive.
“No, I’d be stunned if he does end up back at the West Tigers”, Hooper explained.
“Obviously he has a contract. I think it’s about $650,000 a year and there’s two years remaining but we’ve all seen how this rodeo unfolds previously.”
Hooper would then reveal exactly what the dispute was between Bateman and Wests coach Benji Marshall, who seemed unaware that the club had even announced the Englishman’s exit when asked about it on Friday.
Warrington Wolves Quiz: Can you name these former Super League players?
Where could John Bateman play in 2025?
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Hooper continued to assess the John Bateman saga as he explained that the second-rower will “have options when he comes back”, noting South Sydney Rabbitohs as a possible destination with Wayne Bennett set to join the club.
He also explained what Bateman and Marshall’s differences were, noting: “I think John Bateman wasn’t happy with being singled out as having had a poor game in the Tigers’ loss to South Sydney.
“He just simply outlined to Benji that he was sick of Benji treating the senior players like young kids and the rookies in the side like senior players. It was as simple as that.”
Hooper would then double down on his belief that Bateman won’t play for Wests again as he explained what will likely happen next when his Warrington Wolves loan ends.
“Wayne Bennett has signalled that he may have an interest in trying to sign John Bateman. I know what a big fan Wayne is of John as a player. I don’t think he’ll be headed back to Wests again. It’s just a matter of them coming up with a settlement as to how much the Tigers have to pay of his wage each year.
“They’ll have to contribute some money to wherever John Bateman ultimately lands.”
Given that the Englishman is on $650,000, per Hooper, it would be a huge ask for a Super League team to pay his wages unless Wests contributed a significant amount. That salary would equate to around £330,000, a huge chunk of a team’s salary cap.
