Corey Oates - What to do?

[Allo]

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.

Gillo was my favourite player of the 2010s and I reckon he could've gone at least another couple of years if the neck and shoulder injuries weren't as bad - he's still only 36 in August this year!

Deserved to captain ahead of Boyd and Glenn (had he made it that far) in my opinion

 

[Morkel]

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.

You have to remember that those years they had looser interchange rules (unlimited in 2000?) so you could throw a fresh player out there for 5 minutes and not have to risk having them fatigue and end up exposed. Oates won't have that luxury, if it's a hard grind with both sides fatiguing (or worse, us under defensive pressure), he'll be a definite target. So we might not even risk him and be stuck with a 3 man bench.

I say this of course being one of his biggest fans and hoping he has a blinder.

 

[Big Pete]

You have to remember that those years they had looser interchange rules (unlimited in 2000?) so you could throw a fresh player out there for 5 minutes and not have to risk having them fatigue and end up exposed. Oates won't have that luxury, if it's a hard grind with both sides fatiguing (or worse, us under defensive pressure), he'll be a definite target. So we might not even risk him and be stuck with a 3 man bench.

I say this of course being one of his biggest fans and hoping he has a blinder.

1996-2000 was unlimited, I can't recall exactly what the limitations were in 1995. I believe you were allowed two interchanges and two reserves, but the reserves had to have played reserve grade/under 21s prior and I believe once they came on you couldn't sub them off.

 

[BroncosFever]

You have to love Corey but @Big Del is right. We didn't see a lot from him, despite that he did well with the limited opportunity he had. But what it did show is we have a great club man waiting in the wings who can do a few jobs for us if needed. Personally I want to see him get a stint in the middle, we need to see how his engine is before you give him a spot currently occupied by Baker.

He scored a winger's try and everyone now has him locked in as the answer to all of our problems.

I guarantee you the top of the Melbourne's tip sheet is to exploit his inexperience in the position when we are defending our line.

It was great, he's one of our favourite players, had to work hard to get back in the team and got rewarded for his hard work, it's a great story. There's also a bit of reality to it that needs to set in and we need to see how he can handle it in the middle of the field, particularly in defense, most teams target the halves and typically these halves need a capable defender/backrower to protect them. We need to see how he goes with that.

 

[Mr Fourex]

I agree that it would seem like the good vibes on Corey have gone a tad too far. He went OK last week.....but based on that, I certainly couldn't say he's gonna be the answer to our problems (re back row/ outside back....bench player)

His lateral movement seems so stifled.......he looks so gangly and awkward.

 

[Nashy]

I agree that it would seem like the good vibes on Corey have gone a tad too far. He went OK last week.....but based on that, I certainly couldn't say he's gonna be the answer to our problems (re back row/ outside back....bench player)

His lateral movement seems so stifled.......he looks so gangly and awkward.

He looks like he's in his retirment year

 

[Mr Fourex]

He looks like he's in his retirment year

Exactly......and if he comes out and says that, I'd be prepared to show him some latitude and try and give him a decent run in first grade
but
....he should be hanging up the boots at the end of the season.

 

[Sproj]

No way! Corey will play forever!

 

[Mr Fourex]

 

[GCBRONCO]

No way! Corey will play forever!