Actually he debuted off the bench against Melbourne and replaced Reed on the bench after Reed injured himself in the first half. That was the game where Maranta blew a number of try scoring opportunities, placing him right up there as one of the worst finishers in the game. He stayed there the next week against Cronulla before transitioning to the wing. I remember before the game NYCDB and myself were shaking our heads because Oates who was mostly a centre in the NYC who was being fashioned into a backrow was playing wing of all positions. Didn't take long for Oates to blow us all away, he was great that evening in what was Ben Hunt's coming out party.
2014 Hook tried to transition him into the backrow but for whatever reason wouldn't give him any time off the bench. He had his moments in the position, but he was far more effective out-wide.
I think we're getting ahead of ourselves on Oates. He's still the best winger at the club and unless something dramatic happens, that's where he'll stay for the majority of the season. In 2018 he'll be 24 and that's where he may begin the transition, but I don't see it as an overnight deal. Like a lot of backs who made their way into the forwards, he'll find himself playing a mixture of both and that will probably be the case until 2019 if not 2020.