Benji unsure if Bateman will stay at Tigers

Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson says Englishman John Bateman will be at the club for the next two seasons if he wants to, while coach Benji Marshall rubbished suggestions he’s had a falling out with the back-rower that has led to uncertainty about his future. Bateman has spent two seasons at the Tigers and has another two years left to run on his deal, but it remains unclear whether he’ll return to the club for pre-season training after a messy few months on and off the field. The English veteran was granted a release to finish the 2024 season with Warrington in the Super League, with uncertainty surrounding whether he’d come back to the Tigers and when he’d have to start pre-season training. Bateman was linked with a move to the Sea Eagles but that appears to be off the table now, with Marshall unwilling to speculate on what might happen but happy to clear the air on rumours the pair had a falling out over a dressing room disagreement following a loss to the Rabbitohs. “I’m actually unsure, to be honest,” Marshall replied when asked if Bateman would return. “What I will say though is what’s been reported about is false, I haven’t had a falling out with John. “I’ve had honest discussions and in-house discussions around where John’s future is. Those discussions will remain private, but the things that have been reported are not true.” The Tigers have made several key signings for next year, and Richardson says Bateman can be part of their journey if he wants to see out his deal. “John’s got a contract for next year. We honour every contract at the club, so if John wants to be here for the next two years, then he’ll be here for the next two years. That’s a decision between him and his manager,” he said. “We’ve got plans for what we want to do in the future and we want every players who wants to be a part of that. It’s as simple as that. “That’s up to John Bateman (if he wants to be here). I can’t answer for John Bateman. I’d like to, but I can’t. “John knows that he’s got a contract in place, his manager’s made it clear he’s got a contract in place. We knew when he went to England he had a contract in place. We’ll deal with that as we get to it, but we’ll deal with John Bateman on that, not you guys (the media).”

Shane Richardson takes swipe at 'disloyal' Tigers players

Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson congratulated Brooks in a rare and somewhat bizarre statement following Manly's 24-22 win over Canterbury. The halfback left the Tigers at the end of last season after 205 games with the club. And the joint venture celebrated their former player's first NRL finals win with a statement on their website. "Wests Tigers wish to congratulate former halfback Luke Brooks on his achievements over the weekend for Manly Warringah Sea Eagles," the statement began. Although there was nothing wrong with the statement, it certainly raised more than a few eyebrows, especially due to Richardson's final line where he took a swipe at other 'disloyal' players who have pulled on a Tigers jersey in the past. "On behalf of everyone here at Wests Tigers, I want to congratulate Luke on achieving something that he has wanted for a long time,” Richardson said. "Luke spent more than a decade as a Wests Tigers player, so he will always be a part of this family. He showed loyalty when many didn’t.” Brooks notably stuck with the struggling Tigers when he was off-contract along with fellow stars Moses, Tedesco and Aaron Woods at the end of the 2017 season. Moses left for Parramatta and Tedesco joined the Roosters at the end of the season, while Woods signed a deal with the Bulldogs before making a shock mid-season switch to Cronulla in 2018. And maligned by Tigers fans for his inability to inspire a finals berth in his time at the club, Brooks finally decided to leave the Tigers at the end of last year. But his decision to join another club after spending years trying to lift the Tigers to a finals berth was met with overall positivity, unlike the ugly exits of stars such as Tedesco and Moses. But the NRL world still felt the joint venture's message of congratulations to Brooks was not a good look.