Just thought I would write up one of the recent articles in Rugby League Week about Corey Oates.
'Corey doesn't realise how good he can be'
Corey Oates has always been a big kid with massive potential...but with a small problem his preparation.
Wayne Bennett told him to pull his head in earlier this year, and Oates took the tip. Now, it's the rest of the competition that needs to be warned about the 20-year-old tearaway.
The giant Broncos utility continues to grow in size and stature. Oates has bounced between the wing and back row this year, but Broncos premiership winner and former assistant coach Peter Ryan insists the 192cm, 107kg behemoth is destined for a full-time gig in the forwards.
"He will end up in the back row at 110 or 112 kilos because he's a man mountain waiting to happen," Ryan says. "Corey is a tough bastard and he hits like a freight train. He's got footwork, and he's athletic and fast, but can run over them as well. He bangs away at big men coming through and tears them a new arse now, so he's going to be a man monster who will destroy teams when he develops."
Ryan is predicting titanic battles between Oates and Cowboys giant Jason Taumalolo in future years.
"Nothing against Jason by any means, but in the future when Jason runs where Corey is, he's going to get stopped in his tracks," Ryan says. "Won't that be a classic confrontation? I know I would pay to go and watch it."
Oates told RLW earlier this year that Bennett had challenged the Baralaba Panthers product to make sure he was picked week in, week out. Getting his off-field preparation in order was high on the agenda and Oates has responded to the coach's call.
Broncos captain Justin Hodges says Oates' prospects as a regular back-rower are in his own hands and that he still has a way to go to fulfil his potential.
"He's a good young kid who doesn't realise how good he can be," Hodges says. "Corey's a big boy and once he gets himself right around training the sky's the limit.
"But if he wants to do something in this game, he's got to work hard on his fitness.