NEWS Oates: Desire to change positions is not selfish

[Super Freak]

Oates: Desire to change positions is not selfish

March 13, 2018

Brisbane Broncos winger Corey Oates has refuted suggestions his public declaration of a desire to play in the back row is driven by selfish motives.

The off-contract 23-year-old told NRL.com in the pre-season that this was the year where he wanted to transition to the back row and prove he was a multi-dimensional player and more than a winger.

He said at the time that whether he got that opportunity would be a key in deciding where he played in 2019 and beyond.

Oates, who was given the opportunity to trial in the back row, is yet to get his positional switch wish granted in the NRL so far this season, but said on Monday he would still put the team first and play where coach Wayne Bennett put him.

Oates said his request to play in the back-row was driven by a desire to test and challenge himself and had no regrets.

"A few people have asked me if it was a bit selfish, but I don't think it is," Oates told NRL.com.

"It has got my self-confidence back and proven that I can just be more than a winger.

"I had sort of been, not going through the motions, but just trying to do the best I can without going overboard or trying to do that little special thing.

"This year I have been trying to back myself, be confident with my decisions and not second guess myself.

"I'm trying to have fun like I used to while doing that bit more for the team, and offer more."

Oates said his focus was not on his next contract at this early stage of the season.

"Honestly, it is in the back of my mind at the moment," he said,

"It is probably the fifth thing on my list.

"I want to play some really good football before I start talking to anyone about my future."

Oates played left wing in the disappointing 34-12 loss to St George Illawarra in round one of the Telstra Premiership but said he was ready for the switch whenever coach Bennett called on him.

"I'd love to still have a crack at it but I am doing what is best for the team at the moment," he said.

"I am always a team player and wherever [Wayne Bennett] wants me to play I am more than happy to, but every week I will put my hand up don't worry.

"[Bennett] just said 'be ready for it'. You never know when it could happen so I am just going to keep my hopes up and keep asking the question."

Oates has been named at left wing for the clash against the North Queensland Cowboys on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium.

He said the team must improve ball control and its defence against the Cowboys.

The 23-year-old started his career in the back row, a position he played as a junior, and said he would still make the tough runs of a forward when his team was coming out of trouble.

"I think that is something I bring… and that is just doing my job for the team and getting us out of the tough yards," he said.

"I am more than happy to take those tough carries, and I can always relate back to playing in the back-row.

"You've got to run hard otherwise you get put on your arse and that is no different to playing on the wing."

Source: NRL.com

 

[Kyall]

Oates didn’t look as interested or as focused last week but he still needs to work for the spot by showing intent on the field.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I'm getting the feeling he won't be here next year.

It'll be a big loss but, the team must always come before the player, and this is coming from someone who was outspoken about wanting to see Oates in the back row.

 

[Nashy]

I hope Wayne starts reading the paper again, and I hope he puts them all on media ban.

 

[Foordy]

The issue that i have is that while Oates may want to transition to the backrow, he isn't prepared to go all-in to get it.

I certainly hope he didn't expect to just walk into one of the backrow positions ...

he will need to decide how much he really wants to make the move, because if he is really desperate, that may mean that he needs to bite the bullet and have a stint in the ISC to learn the position.

 

[animal eater]

In defence of Oates, he thinks and feels like a back rower. It is the position that he came through and probably sees it as his DNA so to speak. Also, when you look at all the injuries he has sustained in the last couple of years, most have been the result of high fly wing activities that he wouldn't likely have endured as a back rower. I think he is a hell of a lot scarier as a ball runner than Glen is. The question is whether he can be a sound defender at the position.

All that said, he is without question our most potent winger and a good winger is every bit as important to a side winning as a back rower in today's modern game.

 

[Foordy]

In defence of Oates, he thinks and feels like a back rower. It is the position that he came through and probably sees it as his DNA so to speak. Also, when you look at all the injuries he has sustained in the last couple of years, most have been the result of high fly wing activities that he wouldn't likely have endured as a back rower. I think he is a hell of a lot scarier as a ball runner than Glen is. The question is whether he can be a sound defender at the position.

All that said, he is without question our most potent winger and a good winger is every bit as important to a side winning as a back rower in today's modern game.

possibly all true ... but he can't simply expect to just walk into an all international backrow, especially considering he has barely played backrow at NRL level and not for 3 years.

it also appears that he is not prepared to back himself to break into the backrow rotation

 

[broncos4life]

In defence of Oates, he thinks and feels like a back rower. It is the position that he came through and probably sees it as his DNA so to speak. Also, when you look at all the injuries he has sustained in the last couple of years, most have been the result of high fly wing activities that he wouldn't likely have endured as a back rower. I think he is a hell of a lot scarier as a ball runner than Glen is. The question is whether he can be a sound defender at the position.

All that said, he is without question our most potent winger and a good winger is every bit as important to a side winning as a back rower in today's modern game.

If that is the way he feels then he should go ahead and have the position reassignment surgery, people are much more accepting of that these days.

 

[animal eater]

Look, I don't think he is ready to boot a couple of international level players either, just commenting that I get where he is coming from.

 

[BroncsFan]

All that said, he is without question our most potent winger and a good winger is every bit as important to a side winning as a back rower in today's modern game.

Isn't it a sad realisation for the team that a second rower is our best winger though??

To me Oates is not a real winger. Don't get me wrong some of the put downs he does are phenomenal, but to me he's not agile enough (in that a winger can stand up there opponent and get around them or step inside a covering defence) and I still hold my breath whenever a bomb/cross field kick goes his way.

His hit ups are extremely important to the team, but I still feel that his finishing can be questionable in certain situations, whereas some wingers are formalities when it comes to a put down or one-on-one situations

 

[Alec]

Isn't it a sad realisation for the team that a second rower is our best winger though??

To me Oates is not a real winger. Don't get me wrong some of the put downs he does are phenomenal, but to me he's not agile enough (in that a winger can stand up there opponent and get around them or step inside a covering defence) and I still hold my breath whenever a bomb/cross field kick goes his way.

His hit ups are extremely important to the team, but I still feel that his finishing can be questionable in certain situations, whereas some wingers are formalities when it comes to a put down or one-on-one situations

There are some freakish finishers like Rapana or Holmes, but I feel like Oates is still right up there, a bit below....if he manages to catch the ball. He's still in the higher tiers of finishers.

 

[Renegade]

Isn't it a sad realisation for the team that a second rower is our best winger though??

To me Oates is not a real winger. Don't get me wrong some of the put downs he does are phenomenal, but to me he's not agile enough (in that a winger can stand up there opponent and get around them or step inside a covering defence) and I still hold my breath whenever a bomb/cross field kick goes his way.

His hit ups are extremely important to the team, but I still feel that his finishing can be questionable in certain situations, whereas some wingers are formalities when it comes to a put down or one-on-one situations

What's a real winger though? He finishes well, is relatively safe on the wing, gets our sets off to a good start, is rarely beaten on the outside. Sounds like a proper winger to me, could be wrong though.

Sure he's not as good as Addo-Car or Vunivalu, but not many are. He's similar to Feldt.

Edit: He actually has a pretty good strike rate too, 68 in 90 (I'm not going to count the games he played as a bench forward and scored because that's too much effort and they are few and far between)

but if you compare to other "premier" wingers

.55 holmes
.653 feldt
.75 rapana
.755 oates
.815 Addo-carr
.979 vunivalu

Addo-Carr and Vunivalu have played 48 and 38 games respectively, so about half as much as the others listed or close to.

 

[Broncos Maestro]

What's a real winger though? He finishes well, is relatively safe on the wing, gets our sets off to a good start, is rarely beaten on the outside. Sounds like a proper winger to me, could be wrong though.

Sure he's not as good as Addo-Car or Vunivalu, but not many are. He's similar to Feldt.

Edit: He actually has a pretty good strike rate too, 68 in 90 (I'm not going to count the games he played as a bench forward and scored because that's too much effort and they are few and far between)

but if you compare to other "premier" wingers

.55 holmes
.653 feldt
.75 rapana
.755 oates
.815 Addo-carr
.979 vunivalu

Addo-Carr and Vunivalu have played 48 and 38 games respectively, so about half as much as the others listed or close to.

How the heck does Melbourne do it by having lethal wingers both left and right?

 

[Renegade]

How the heck does Melbourne do it by having lethal wingers both left and right?

Well I guess with Vunivalu they play to his strengths, he's almost unbeatable in the air and having someone like Cronk who is pinpoint with kicking makes it easier. Doesn't help of course when teams help them play to their strengths like the time we put Kodi on the wing and he clowned on him with 4 tries lol, poor guy never stood a chance.

Honestly, Addo-Carr, anyone with a brain could see he'd be a good player for the few games he played at the Tigers, I have no idea why they didn't play him more but they've done it before with people like Korobiete, and they'll probably do the same with Nofoaluma.

 

[Renegade]

Also, other way around re: Vunivalu and Addo-Carr - former has played 48, not 38.

 

[Foordy]

they'll probably do the same with Nofoaluma

I believe he is in reserve grade this week

 

[Renegade]

I believe he is in reserve grade this week

he was last week too! but the guy they selected over him got the equalizing try so can't say they got it wrong, who knows though.

 

[talanoa]

he was last week too! but the guy they selected over him got the equalizing try so can't say they got it wrong, who knows though.

nofoaluma is a good ball carry but if you watch him defebsively he gets caught a lot in no mans land and his side of the field has been the weakest for the tigers the past few years.
if he could get that sorted he would be a top class winger.