NRL 2024: Wests Tigers bizarrely confirm John Bateman departure during Warriors game, as NZ win 28-16

The Wests Tigers have done little to defuse rumours of a growing rift at the club, bizarrely confirming John Bateman’s departure midgame, as his teammates went down to the Warriors.

The Wests Tigers have bizarrely announced John Bateman’s immediate departure midgame while his teammates were trailing the Warriors. Picture: NRL Photos

The Wests Tigers have bizarrely announced John Bateman’s immediate departure midgame while his teammates were trailing the Warriors.

Doing little to defuse rumours of a growing rift between the back-rower and the Tigers, the club produced a short-worded statement confirming that Bateman had played his last game of the season.

Warriors went on to win the game 28-16, with the Tigers dishing up another poor performance.

Tigers boss Shane Richardson stopped short of confirming that Bateman would be back at the club to see out the remaining two years of his deal.

“Wests Tigers forward John Bateman has been released from his playing contract to join English Super League club Warrington Wolves for the remainder of the 2024 season,” the statement read.

The Wests Tigers have bizarrely announced John Bateman’s immediate departure midgame while his teammates were trailing the Warriors. Picture: NRL Photos

“John is contracted to Wests Tigers for the 2025/2026 seasons.”

Richardson added: “John leaving Wests Tigers for the back end of the season is something that all parties are comfortable with.”

The announcement drew comparisons to that of St George Illawarra who announced then coach Steve Price’s contract extension when his side were trailing during an Anzac Day clash against the Roosters in 2013.

The deal will help the Tigers save $150,000 in salary cap space for the rest of the season, which can be used to forward pay or upgrade contracted players on the roster.

The Tigers have done little to defuse rumours of a growing rift between the back-rower and the club. Picture: Getty Images

Bateman revealed the news to his Tigers teammates on Tuesday morning and did not travel with the side to New Zealand for their Friday night clash against the Warriors.

There has been speculation Bateman and coach Benji Marshall had a spat following the Tigers’ loss to South Sydney last weekend.

It’s not the only contract saga unfolding at the Tigers with rising prop Stefano Utoikamanu is yet to make a decision about his immediate playing future.

It comes as Canterbury has joined the race, along with Melbourne and the Dolphins, to lure Utoikamanu away from Concord.

WARRIORS CRUISE AS AFB INFLICTS MORE PAIN ON TIGERS

—Jack Brady

An inspired Addin Fonua-Blake performance has heaped more pain on to the Wests Tigers’ hapless campaign.

Fonua Blake did everything in his power to ensure his team’s fleeting finals chances stayed alive for another week, as the Warriors ran away with a 28-16 victory.

The Cronulla-bound front-rower ripped the Tigers’ middle defence to shreds throughout proceedings, with his 200 metres and eight tackle busts complemented by a crucial try in the final 10 minutes to ensure victory for his side.

It was of no coincidence that the Warriors scored all of their points with Fonua-Blake on the paddock, and that the Tigers scored two of their three tries when he was warming the bench.

Addin Fonua-Blake terrorised the Tigers, with 200 run metres, eight tackle busts and a crucial late try to secure victory. Picture: Getty Images

Outside of Fonua-Blake’s barnstorming showing, the most rusted on of rugby league fans would have had hard time finding the fun in this one.

A game that reeked of two bottom four teams slugging it out ended with huge tallies of negative plays, including a combined 19 errors.

Barring a miracle over the next six weeks, the Tigers’ fifth straight defeated has them all but condemned to their fourth consecutive wooden spoon. Not since the Parramatta Eels’ run of six straight last-placed finishes between 1956 and 1961 has a team produced such a wretched run of poor campaigns.

IMMORTAL TO IMPERSONATOR

It was a little over a year ago when Wests Tigers fans jokingly anointed centre Starford To’a as the next member of the illustrious immortals in the aftermath of an incredible performance against the Cowboys.

In a Leichhardt Oval special, To’a destroyed Queensland and Kangaroos veteran Valentine Holmes on his way to 230-plus metres, 12 tackle breaks and two tries.

Fast forward to now, and it was To’a doing his best to follow in the footsteps of Holmes on that fateful night.

Now in To’a’s defence, consecutive ankle and hamstring injuries have restricted him to just three appearances in 2024.

But even so it’s hard to justify his defensive display with all three of the Warriors’ first half tries a result of poor To’a reads, as Kurt Capewell, Ed Kosi and Ali Leiataua all enjoying the spoils of four points.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak of the Warriors scores a try. Picture: Getty Images

… AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!

Subject to social media trolls following his horror goal kicking showing against the Raiders last week, it was an encouraging moment to see Chanel Harris-Tavita with a smile on his face after converting his first goal of the game.

It came on the stroke of half-time, after two earlier misses, and left the home crowd in raptures. Acknowledging the anticipation of his attempt with a wry smirk, Harris-Tavita had the last laugh with a big cheer as the ball sailed between the uprights.

A turn in confidence for the Warriors five-eighth ensured a perfect record from there on in with a further three successful attempts coming in the second stanza.

Originally published as NRL 2024: Wests Tigers bizarrely confirm John Bateman departure during Warriors game, as NZ win 28-16