PRE-GAME Round 2 - Sharks vs Broncos

[noisetheory]

yes, hopefully oates has a good game or two so he can't be dropped when copleys back

 

[Morkel]

To be honest, I ain't even really that upset. I'm not saying I'm happy that Copley is out, far from it, but by the sounds of it Oates was going to get a chance on the wing at some stage, this just kind of expedites the process. And really, I'm excited to see how he goes!

 

[Broncoman]

Sucks that Copley is out but having Oates back in the team is exciting.

 

[Unbreakable]

I think this is a pretty good turn of events actually, it's only a minor calf injury and he'll supposedly be back in 1-2 weeks, if Oates plays well on the wing, scores a few tries, and Reed plays crap again, Bennett may be forced to drop Reed for Copley.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Exactly Unbreakable. This is an awesome turn of events, all things considered. I hope Oates has a blinder.

 

[Huge]

Well that pleases me to hear Oates is back in the team. I wanted him either on the wing or at centre with Hodges the other. What I didn't want to see was Oates in the forwards and I don't care who thinks he is a back rower . I have never been a fan of putting young lads who haven't even had their wisdom teeth showing, into the forwards. I might even change my tip back to the Broncos now that Oates is back. Beating Cronulla will not be easy and they consistently turn up and bash us....on paper is one thing but on the field ?

 

[ivanhungryjak]

So do we have any news on how bad this calf injury is?

 

[Super Freak]

So do we have any news on how bad this calf injury is?

Minor by the sounds of it.

He will be out for a week or two.

 

[abashii]

I haven't seen this posted here or very broadly yet. It's a shame Gallen won't be sitting out this week's game for his up close squirrel grip against the Raiders.

 

[Anonymous person]

Am I the only one who isn't all aboard the Oates train? Ive seen nothing to suggest he'll be a top tier player. Hes played well, but you compare him to other boom youngster backrowers and he's a mile behind.

 

[Unbreakable]

I think we probably did over-hype him a bit in his rookie season, our thought process was like "Oh my god! This kid is the size of a backrower and is great at finding the line, literally Gene Miles!"

Hasn't really gone on with it just yet, but he's still super young, could still be a great first grader for us.

 

[rnabokov]

I think we probably did over-hype him a bit in his rookie season, our thought process was like "Oh my god! This kid is the size of a backrower and is great at finding the line, literally Gene Miles!"

Hasn't really gone on with it just yet, but he's still super young, could still be a great first grader for us.

IMO, he's already been a great first grader for us. Remember back in '13? He didn't do too bad on the wing from memory, his youth and inexperience being taken into consideration.

It's such fun going through all the posts in various threads on Oates from season 13 on, when he was a gold mine for us on the wing, and myself and a few others suggesting that on that form, and his talent, he could be the next Gene Miles, IF he was, as BP posted somewhere recently, "properly managed" which, for me, meant playing in the backs: wing and centre, only to be well, scoffed at, with posts about Oates bulking up and that he was a back rower, never a winger or back, and that's that.

What was it that most said back then? Oates is not a back, not a winger not a centre. Now we are all so happy to see him on the wing (like me), and I still reckon, "properly managed" he can be the next Gene Miles.

Hope he scores a heap of tries tomorrow night ... assuming we decide to get the ball out wide

 

[Morkel]

Am I the only one who isn't all aboard the Oates train? Ive seen nothing to suggest he'll be a top tier player. Hes played well, but you compare him to other boom youngster backrowers and he's a mile behind.

You already said that. You said that he's looked nothing better than "ordinary" in your eyes. Your eyes must have been occupied elsewhere in 2013.

 

[Anonymous person]

A few games in 2013 were very good, not great. What's he done since?

 

[subsbligh]

Oates is exactly the player that Bennett wanted Whitchurch to be, but actually good and a proven NRL player. Put him anywhere except the spine and he'll thrive.

Putting that to one side, Oates is an old fashioned, beautiful line runner, much like, IMO, Guerra when he first started at the Roosters (or Gillett at the Broncos).

He's raw, and needs to expand his skill set to reach the quality level.

At the moment, there's no real room in the first grade squad or our gameplan for a project second rower. And I don't think you can improve young forwards by playing them in the centres or on the wing.

As a stop gap gimmick in the back end of a write off seasons, he was awesome on the wing. So much so, perhaps he needs to give up his day job as a back rower - but then again he's just no where near as athletic as the best wingers in the game.

 

[subsbligh]

Sorry I just caught up with the news.

Copley out and replaced with Oates... WTF with not selecting Vidot... Oh noes. Did he tell Bennett to get fucked or something...

Well glad it wasn't Whitchurch getting another run at least.

 

[Big Pete]

I must admit I wasn't in favour of moving Oates to the backs in 2014. At best, I thought he'd make a decent make-shift centre but I thought it'd stall his progress. Unfortunately, he wasn't used how I would have liked which was on the edges making Tonie Carroll type runs, running off a half and spent more time in the middle than not so it was all a bit moot.

I recognise that we don't have the depth out-wide and Oates is a class player who really caught people off-guard with his moments of brilliance in 2013. Heck, I still thought there were good signs in 2014 too, scoring a clutch try against Penrith and being the go-to man in our Origin affected game against the Tigers. There really aren't that many backrows from his generation that have produced what he has yet. Outside of Taumalolo who is a year older and has been groomed since he was 17, I honestly don't think there's been anyone superior in that 93-96 bracket yet. Yeah, Cartwright, Moeroa, Tapine & Tanginoa are good talents but they've yet to show more than Oates in first grade.

Good player Oates, still remember the first time I saw him playing NYCs for the Broncos. Up against Penrith, rated outsiders and Oates was head and shoulders above everyone else. It was right then and there I hopped off the Timu train and boarded the Oates express.

 

[gordjw]

Taumololo is only a year older than Oates? Mind blown.