Wests Tigers address ugly Benji Marshall claims as more players could be shown the door

Wests Tigers boss Shane Richardson has expanded on the reasons behind Stefano Utoikamanu's departure while admitting John Bateman is no certainty to see out the final two years of his contact. In a lengthy interview on the Tigers' 'Behind The Roar' podcast, Richardson also confirmed coach Benji Marshall had challenged several senior players to lift their performances as the club heads towards a third straight wooden spoon.

Outlaying his vision for the future, the Tigers CEO warned those not 100 per cent committed will be shown the door. "We're in a crocodile roll for our life and we want people here that want to be part of that crocodile roll and we'll make sure every person here is part of that crocodile roll," he said.

Asked to elaborate on Utoikamanu's departure, Richardson said: "I just wanted to get it off the books one way or the other. He said he was going and then he was going to stay and then he was going. We made a more than reasonable offer – probably too much of an offer in a lot of ways – and we did want him to stay.

"I was resigned that he was going to leave because you always do when it takes this long. I'm sorry to see Stefano go but every person at this club has got to be in for the crocodile roll. Stefano wants to go to a club he thinks can win a premiership (and) we weren't that club (in his eyes) so I wish him and his family all the best."

Wests Tigers boss slams reports of Benji Marshall 'bust-up'

Richardson also denied the decision to allow Bateman to link up with Super League outfit Warrington for the rest of the season was on the back of a bust-up with Marshall. He also gave no guarantees the Englishman would return to see out the final two years of his NRL deal.

Richardson said: "Benji doesn’t talk tough, he does (tough). I know Benji has challenged our senior players about performances and I absolutely applaud him for it. (But) that's not why John Bateman's gone to England. Benji didn’t just have a robust conversation with John Bateman, he had a robust conversation with all the senior players.

"It was in our interests to let John go. John can go over there and work out whether he wants to make a commitment to come back. Anyone here has got to want to be in the crocodile roll. We want people to fight to the fricken death. He's got to make calls with what he wants to do with his future. He's certainly got a future if he wants to get in the crocodile roll."

Wests Tigers with $2 million war chest to spend on recruits

Richardson confirmed Utoikamanu's exit will leave the Tigers with $2m to spend under next year's salary cap, warning rivals: "We will be very dangerous in the marketplace. We have a plan going forward. We don’t need 10 players to make us a better side.

"We need to develop our juniors and, now Stefano's left, we need three players to add to it (and) we've got two million dollars to do it, so we'll get quality players. You've got to gradually weed out what you don't require and replace it with what you do require. We're working towards making the top eight next year – that's our target."