John Bateman's time at the Wests Tigers seems to be coming to a close, with a rival club reportedly expressing a keen interest in making a move to secure his services.
Arriving at the Wests Tigers at the start of the 2023 season, the back-rower's form has been well below par and has struggled to find consistency on both ends of the field.
There have also been continuous reports that Bateman has failed to get along with head coach Benji Marshall, which saw him leave at the backend of the season to play under Sam Burgess for the Warrington Wolves.
Unlikely to see out the remainder of his contract (signed until the end of the 2026 NRL season) with the Tigers, the club won't stand in his way if he wants an early release to join another team.
According to News Corp, the Manly Sea Eagles have explored the possibility of poaching him from the Wests Tigers as they continue to strengthen their roster and look to add to their forward stocks.
However, it is understood that their interest in the English international is currently at the preliminary stage as Bateman prepares to take on Samoa in the coming days.
Bateman's potential move to the Northern Beaches would make him the latest Wests Tigers player to join Manly, following the likes of Navren Willett, Onitoni Large, Jake Simpkin, Aitasi James and former Dally M Halfback of the Year Luke Brooks.
Bateman is one of a host of players the Tigers would like to have off their books for 2025, including Jayden Sullivan, Brent Naden and Charlie Staines, while it's also believed the club would not stand in the way of a move for David Klemmer.
The report in regards to Bateman's future follows rumours that the St George Illawarra Dragons were reportedly considering making a play for Adam Doueihi who runs off-contract at the end of next season.
Joining the Tigers at the start of the 2020 season after two years with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Doueihi has been continually plagued by injuries while at the club, playing only 64 matches in five seasons.
Recently agreeing to a one-year contract extension with the Tigers, he took a significant pay cut of $350,000 a season to remain at the club but has been relegated to the centres with the arrival of Jahream Bula and Lachlan Galvin in the fullback and five-eighth positions.
Able to speak with rival teams from November 1, The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Doueihi has caught the interest of the St George Illawarra Dragons, who are considering making a play for the utility.
According to the publication, the Dragons have already held internal discussions about recruiting the Lebanon international. They are also willing to entertain the idea of him joining before the 2026 season if the Tigers decide to release him.