Corey Oates - What to do?

Since Piakura's name has been mentioned (a few seasons ago) I have always seen him as an injury magnet. He's knocked himself out a few times in Q Cup and has not really had any sort of long stint without an injury. I just don't think he will be around for too long at the rate he is picking up injuries.

It's a crying shame as the guy has obvious talent to burn. But he's no use to us if he's going to be constantly on the sidelines.
 
I love that we are in this position again after 1 game. Felt the exact opposite after the penriff game. And whenever the broncos lose you're hoping someone blitzes it in reserve grade but doesn't ever seem to match up for us.

So many questions and makes things interesting once haas, piakura and Walsh return.
Sailor to 14 means we need a 65-70 min hooker at the most or do we just carry 2 forwards with limited 2nd row cover?
Oates staying in 17 means we might not find a spot for sailor. Do we carry 2 hookers or are smoothy or walters capable of playing longer minutes? Who's the sacrificial forward for all these scenarios? Is hunt definitely out of the question if he puts in a couple more decent performances? If baker smashes it and willison and/or hethrington have 2 shockers does that change who gets chopped?

So many questions, and injuries will likely impact us somewhere. But these are the type of questions you want. Who can we cut, last week it was who can we put in.

The next 2-3 games until Walsh, piakura and haas are huge for a lot of the players here. Are they squad members, or are they top 17 nrl players.... it's upto them...
I think our coaching staff will see the merits in sorting out some form of rotation system with the forwards. Many a time a forward gets a 'rest' for a few weeks but it is reported as an injury. I know all the guys are loathe to give up their spot once they get in the team, but our coaching staff need to reassure them that the rotation system is to ensure we arrive at the finals in the best possible nick.
 
I would think corey will be eyeing a fulltime role at the broncos when he retires. They will look after him no doubt. Boy I feel old thinking about corey oates retiring. Feels like he's a young bloke bursting onto the scene
 
I would think corey will be eyeing a fulltime role at the broncos when he retires. They will look after him no doubt. Boy I feel old thinking about corey oates retiring. Feels like he's a young bloke bursting onto the scene
It's crazy isn't it. Watching those highlights and realising just how long he has been playing. How many guys he has seen come and go. It made me feel for him more when back in 22 he admitted struggling as he didn't have any mates at the club anymore and he allowed himself to slip as he had no one to push himself for. Hard place to be in, an I admire him the more for turning it around. It's why I want him to succeed in this later era. He has been such a great club man through the good and the bad times. He deserves to go out still trucking that ball up in the 17.
 
It's crazy isn't it. Watching those highlights and realising just how long he has been playing. How many guys he has seen come and go. It made me feel for him more when back in 22 he admitted struggling as he didn't have any mates at the club anymore and he allowed himself to slip as he had no one to push himself for. Hard place to be in, an I admire him the more for turning it around. It's why I want him to succeed in this later era. He has been such a great club man through the good and the bad times. He deserves to go out still trucking that ball up in the 17.
I hope Oatesy gets to go out on his own terms. He’s the only current player that is a true club legend. Obviously we hope Patty, Walsh, Mam, Haas all enter that realm in a decades time but Corey is all we have currently.

The last true club legend we had retire was Gillo as far as I can remember. Obviously there was Boyd, Glenn, Thaiday etc but they all went on too long.
 
It's crazy isn't it. Watching those highlights and realising just how long he has been playing. How many guys he has seen come and go. It made me feel for him more when back in 22 he admitted struggling as he didn't have any mates at the club anymore and he allowed himself to slip as he had no one to push himself for. Hard place to be in, an I admire him the more for turning it around. It's why I want him to succeed in this later era. He has been such a great club man through the good and the bad times. He deserves to go out still trucking that ball up in the 17.
And it's not like Oates is that old either.
He was here with Hodges, Parker, Thaiday, Gillett. Petero had only just retired when he debuted. He's seen over 100 players come and go. He'd be a in very rare group of players to have been coached by 4 different broncos coaches.
 
And it's not like Oates is that old either.
He was here with Hodges, Parker, Thaiday, Gillett. Petero had only just retired when he debuted. He's seen over 100 players come and go. He'd be a in very rare group of players to have been coached by 4 different broncos coaches.
That's right, he isn't old at all. That's why this transition period is so critical. He could turn himself into a very damaging weapon for us. It all depends on how his body holds up. He has the size to do stints in the middle but his body hasn't been copping the workload and the hits. So my assumption would be it will take some time in the furnace and under the hammer before he is truly battle ready.
 
He's not even 30.... fucking hell thought he'd be older than that lol.
 
If Oates stays at 17, who misses out once Hass is back? Hetherington and Willison have been playing pretty well. I would have said Baker, but he seems to be slowly getting better too (Kevvie magic).

I'd suggest Kobe's spot is pretty secure, so it's Baker, Willison, Hunt, and Oates into the last two bench spots. Oates gives the flexibility to cover the backs, so I would persist with him unless he seriously falters as second row cover at some stage. That pushes Hunt back to Cup.

I get the feeling Kevvie will persist with Baker over Willison in the short-term, which I don't think is the worst thing for Willison's development. I'd say injuries (and maybe suspensions) will see him get plenty of runs in first grade though.
 
We Have wait until the team list is released today I hope Oatesy is there 🤞🏻🤞🏻 Kevvie is stupid if he leaves Oatesy off the list
 
I'd suggest Kobe's spot is pretty secure, so it's Baker, Willison, Hunt, and Oates into the last two bench spots. Oates gives the flexibility to cover the backs, so I would persist with him unless he seriously falters as second row cover at some stage. That pushes Hunt back to Cup.

I get the feeling Kevvie will persist with Baker over Willison in the short-term, which I don't think is the worst thing for Willison's development. I'd say injuries (and maybe suspensions) will see him get plenty of runs in first grade though.
This is exactly how Kevy manages new players coming through. Gives them a taste and then sends them back to Qcup to play big minutes and dominate at a lower level. Look at the confidence Piakura and Mariner have after getting that treatment early in their careers.
 
I liken Oates' predicament with my as-a-kid favourite being Michael Hancock. Wing for ages, absolute star and ended up in '95 in the Centres and eventually on the bench mid Super League. Then back to Wing for a few years and then Benched it most of 2000. It's hard to see your favourites strutting it on the bench or in reserves but Mick got 3 GFs out of the bench, maybe Oates can snag one too.

Hearing the crowd erupt when he came on was a teary kind of moment. It's like seeing that sick kid return to school after 3 months.

I don't know where this ends up for Corey but if this is his last year, I hope we win for him.
 
I liken Oates' predicament with my as-a-kid favourite being Michael Hancock. Wing for ages, absolute star and ended up in '95 in the Centres and eventually on the bench mid Super League. Then back to Wing for a few years and then Benched it most of 2000. It's hard to see your favourites strutting it on the bench or in reserves but Mick got 3 GFs out of the bench, maybe Oates can snag one too.

Hearing the crowd erupt when he came on was a teary kind of moment. It's like seeing that sick kid return to school after 3 months.

I don't know where this ends up for Corey but if this is his last year, I hope we win for him.

I really hope one or the other has reached out over this time to ask or give advice. Mick is the perfect example for Corey
 

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