Wests Tigers Chairman Lee Hagipantelis has dismissed rumours that new recruit John Bateman arrived to the club with an ankle injury.
He described any insinuation that the Tigers did not do their due diligence in recruiting the England international as insulting.
The Tigers signed Bateman to a four-year deal and were forced to pay a substantial transfer fee to the Wigan Warriors of approximately $250,000. Reports surfaced that Bateman was sent for scans which revealed a minor ankle injury.
Hagipantelis declared the reports as false and confirmed Bateman would not be available for Round 1 because he was unfamiliar with the Tigers game plan and not because of injury.
“It's just amazing how these stories take on a life of their own,” Haigpantelis said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“Prior to John being signed by the Tigers from England, we recovered all of his medical records and spoke to (Wigan’s) medical advisors.
“He underwent an independent medical examination and was scanned in England and once he was given full clearance, he was signed by the Wests Tigers.
“When he arrived in Australia, he underwent a further scan which confirmed the results of the earlier scan.
“John Bateman would play for the Wests Tigers this weekend but for the fact that he has yet to acclimatise or learn all of the plays to the coaching staff’s satisfaction.
“That is the only reason he isn’t playing this weekend.
“To suggest that we would not have taken all precautions, ticked all boxes or undertaken all due diligence (is) offensive.
“Let’s put it to rest. John Bateman is not playing not due to any injury but because he hasn’t acclimatised.”
The Tigers are no strangers to drama and a recent column in The Sydney Morning Herald suggested that there was some internal unrest between Wests Magpies chair Shannon Cavanagh and Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe as well as Hagipantelis.
Hagipantelis also insisted there was no truth to the rumours at the club and the Tigers have never been more united ahead of an NRL season.
“(Cavanagh) is a minority stakeholder in the Wests Tigers,” Hagipantelis added.
“He has been a vocal critic of the Wests Tigers, myself and Justin Pascoe.
“He is perfectly entitled to his views no matter how demented they are.
“The Tigers enjoy an excellent relationship with all three stakeholders.
“We are as united and solid a club as we have ever been.
“The suggestion in the article on Sunday that we are plagued by in-fighting is not only dishonest but mischievous.
“This club stands united and we are ready to deal with the 2023 NRL season.”
The Tigers kick off their 2023 campaign against the Gold Coast Titans at Leichhardt Oval on March 5.
