John Bateman's 'bust up' with Benji Marshall emerges as Tigers forward heads back to England

Wests Tigers backrower John Bateman has been shipped off to England after an alleged heated exchange with coach Benji Marshall following the club's 42-28 loss to Souths on Saturday. Warrington coach Sam Burgess confirmed on Wednesday that Bateman had agreed a loan deal with the UK club for the remainder of the season, with the Tigers forward already boarding a plane home to England.

Contracted to the joint venture club until the end of 2026, Bateman heading to the UK this season saves the Tigers close to $150,000 in their salary cap, late in a year that is already effectively over given the club sits in last place. He is then reportedly set to return to the Tigers next year to complete the final two years of his existing deal, however, Fox Sports' James Hooper believes he won't play in the NRL again and almost certainly not at the Tigers.

Hooper says the decision for him to head home to England has nothing to do with the Tigers' salary cap squeeze or for him to return to his family. Instead, it is due to a public row between the player and coach after it was made clear to him that he was set to be dropped to reserve grade after underperforming in 2024. The 30-year-old has seen a substantial form drop off in the last 24 months, a shadow of the player he once was when he helped the Raiders to the 2019 NRL Grand Final.

And Hooper told Fox League’s NRL360 that Marshall and Bateman got into a heated exchange following last weekend's match when the coach pulled him up for another low-effort display. Bateman then allegedly fired back at the rookie coach and called him out for his treatment of the senior playing group.

“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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Wests Tigers' senior playing group comes under fire

In 2024, the Tigers once again find themselves down the bottom of the ladder and appear likely to claim a third straight wooden spoon, in what is Marshall's first full season in charge. At times this year, Marshall's men have shown signs they're on the improve, only to continue to turn in woeful performances. And with the Tigers only winning four games this season - the same amount they recorded when finishing last in 2023 - it is clear that the high-profile players brought to the club on big-money contracts aren't living up to their value.

And Daily Telegraph Journalist Michael Carayannis believes Marshall has every right to get up Bateman and the senior playing group, pointing out that the younger players are the ones who have actually led the way in 2024. “The kids are the ones that are holding their own for the Tigers this year and it’s the senior players that have let them down,” he said.

NRL360 host and premiership-winner Braith Anasta also criticised Bateman for airing his grievances in front of the playing group. “If you are a senior player and you do have an issue with a coach you take it somewhere else. You don’t address it or have it out in front of other players,” Anasta said.

“If you’re a senior player you’ve got to read the room. That’s what I think. You don’t want to put down the coach or critique or criticise the coach if you’re a leader.”