Ben Ikin predicts Wayne Bennett line-up gamble to shake-up Broncos, Queensland

Danoz Direct

Danoz Direct

NRL Captain
Oct 12, 2013
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BEN Ikin is predicting that Wayne Bennett will take a huge gamble on his Broncos line-up for 2017, with one of this year’s breakout stars set for a major positional switch.

Rangy winger Corey Oates set the competition alight early in 2016 with his aerial ability, strong carries out of his own end and extraordinarily athletic corner finishes and he was rewarded with a spot on the left flank of the all-conquering Queensland side.

Despite proving he could more than match it on the wing at that level, Ikin sees him being switched to the bench at club level in 2017, where he will start his permanent transition to the back row.

Oates has long been considered an edge forward in the making and Ikin believes the departure of star forwards Corey Parker and Jarrod Wallace, along with the arrival of Benji Marshall, will facilitate that move.

“We know that the Broncos are a pretty light forward pack,” Ikin said on the Fox Sports Market Watch off-season special podcast.

“You throw in the loss of Corey Parker and Jarrod Wallace and all of a sudden they start to look a bit thin.

“This is why I’m thinking — this is my theory at the moment — that David Mead drops onto one of the wings, Jordan Kahu goes to the other, Benji Marshall plays left centre and they bring Corey Oates off the bench and start playing him in the forwards.

“Let’s be honest, Corey Oates has got to be thrown into the back row at some point.

“As good as he’s been coming off the wing for the Broncos and for Queensland, maybe 2017’s going to be the year.”

If Ikin, the son-in-law of coach Bennett, is correct, it would explain the method behind what some people consider the madness of signing veteran five-eighth Marshall.

While Bennett has not done much to cover the losses of Parker and Wallace he has bolstered the backline to the point where it’s hard to find positions for several high calibre players.

Ikin’s theory on the line-up would strengthen the forward pack by switching Oates without weakening the backline, with the inclusions of Marshall and one of the bargain buys of the off-season in Titans’ record try scorer David Mead.

That might be the most effective solution for the Broncos but it comes at a fascinating time for Oates, who, after the Four Nations injury to Josh Mansour, is in the conversation for best left winger in the country.

A switch onto the bench at club level has the potential to put his Origin spot, much less a ticket to the World Cup, in jeopardy, given the emergence of Valentine Holmes as a bona fide superstar.

If Oates is not playing on the wing week in week out, Maroons coach Kevin Walters may well look elsewhere, with Holmes and Dane Gagai firming as favourites to start on the flanks.

Oates would then have to rely on his early season form in the Broncos pack to contend for a bench spot at Origin level.

While Oates could ultimately lose out if Ikin’s theory plays out, 31-year-old Marshall would undoubtedly be the big winner.

After playing in the halves throughout his NRL career, a late positional switch out to the centres may seem unlikely but with Kodi Nikorima adequately filling the bench utility role, it is perhaps his best chance of playing first grade.

“(With Oates) their bench starts to look stronger,” Ikin said.

“You’ve got Kodi Nikorima who will come back from injury. Everyone thought Benji might play that utility role but I thought Kodi Nikorima has been exceptional at doing that job in the past.

“Then you go to (Joe) Ofahengaue, Corey Oates, Herman Ese’ese, Jai Arrow and Tevita Pangai Junior, who I think is in for a big 2017.

“All of a sudden the Broncos start to have some quality across those players who don’t start the game, which is really important in modern rugby league.”

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...lSF&utm_source=CourierMail&utm_medium=Twitter
 
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This doesn't really jive with reports from training that we've been peppering Oates with high balls, but we definitely need size in our pack and we have plenty of depth in the backline now
 
This doesn't really jive with reports from training that we've been peppering Oates with high balls, but we definitely need size in our pack and we have plenty of depth in the backline now

I could see him playing a role similar to what Michael Hancock did in the later days of his career when playing off the bench as an interchange backrower/winger option for the side with an eventual transition to the backrow fulltime, however the real question to ask is who will be the centres as that will be the real deciding factor IMO and isn't it great to have this positive selection headache in the backline for a change.
 
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Mead benji thiaday milf. Hunt gillett Roberts kahu.
Looks tuff 2 me.
 
I just can't see Oates being effective in the forwards. I don't recall him making a big impact trying to hit the ball up through the forward pack.

He's strong and fast, which would indicate that he's best used to terrorise outside backs, but the problem is obviously that his aerial skills need a lot of work. And that we now have too many backs rather than too few.

I really hope Ikin is wrong about this one.
 
Hey, at least this is an OPTION. It's great to finally have options on the table and can possibly reshuffle to the Ikin method if injuries hit.

Gone are the days of Mr cut in field Maranta, Dropley, Reed-no-speed, Drops Steden Eden and Shitchurch
 
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I just can't see Oates being effective in the forwards. I don't recall him making a big impact trying to hit the ball up through the forward pack.

He's strong and fast, which would indicate that he's best used to terrorise outside backs, but the problem is obviously that his aerial skills need a lot of work. And that we now have too many backs rather than too few.

I really hope Ikin is wrong about this one.

Didn't Hook start him in the forwards? I reckon he looked good from what I can remember... He knows how to run a nice line
 
This is how I think we'll look rd 1 next year...

1. Boyd
2. Kahu
3. Marshall
4. Roberts
5. Mead
6. Milford
7. Hunt
8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Blair
11. Thaiday
12. Gillett
13. Glenn

14. Nikorima
15. Oates
16. Ese'ese
17. Pangai Jnr
 
This is how I think we'll look rd 1 next year...

1. Boyd
2. Kahu
3. Marshall
4. Roberts
5. Mead
6. Milford
7. Hunt
8. McGuire
9. McCullough
10. Blair
11. Thaiday
12. Gillett
13. Glenn

14. Nikorima
15. Oates
16. Ese'ese
17. Pangai Jnr

You don't think Dodds would be in the side?

I can't see him playing reserve grade, to be honest. We lost a fair amount of experience with the retirement of Parker. Dodds will be in there.
 
Ghibli's side will be it with Dodds in for Ese'Ese. Pangai Jr is gonna have a massive year.
 
Ghibli's side will be it with Dodds in for Ese'Ese. Pangai Jr is gonna have a massive year.

I understand that we might need some but I see Glenn as the player with experience off the bench with Dodds in reserve grade and TPJ and Ese'ese 1, 2 punching off the bench
 
Yep, sorry peeps, totally forgot about Dodds. Dodds on the bench with either of Ese'ese or Pangai Jnr.
 
You don't think Dodds would be in the side?

I can't see him playing reserve grade, to be honest. We lost a fair amount of experience with the retirement of Parker. Dodds will be in there.
Ikin was reporting in the podcast that Dodds looks set for more surgery. Leg isn't healing properly or something. Not sure if he is right / how long the recovery would be. I think Ese'Ese spot will be between Ese'Ese Dodds, Ofa and Arrow as well
 
Dodds won't be in the team come Round 1 imo, he's depth.

Nikorima, Pangai Jr, Ese'ese & Oates seems like the most likely bench at this stage.
 
Dodds won't be in the team come Round 1 imo, he's depth.

Nikorima, Pangai Jr, Ese'ese & Oates seems like the most likely bench at this stage.
So with that Bench, would be what? Mcguire, Macca, Blair, Gillett, Thaiday, Glenn starting?
 
I doubt they will move Oates off the wing, and I hope they don't.
He performs a double function of being a great finisher, as well as a very handy set starter with his excellent runs from our end...

Bench imo will be Marshall, Glenn, Ofahengaue and Pangai Jr.
 

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