NEWS Oates: Desire to change positions is not selfish

[Renegade]

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.

If he went to melb he'd get it sorted in no time.

 

[Harry Sack]

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.

Yeah, pretty much. When those articles about him wanting to move to the 2nd row came out I had no issue with it......as long as he wants to earn it. Showing some form in a few trials was never going to earn him the spot.

 

[mitch222]

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.

He is better than both their current wingers. He was their player of the year last year. I would take Nofoaluma in a heart beat on the wing here. Dude has serious talent and knows where the try line is.

 

[Dash]

He is better than both their current wingers. He was their player of the year last year. I would take Nofoaluma in a heart beat on the wing here. Dude has serious talent and knows where the try line is.

He only scored 8 tries last year and apparently let in more than any other player. Wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

 

[ZTop]

He only scored 8 tries last year and apparently let in more than any other player. Wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.

He was leading the wingers in some other stat, may have been broken tackles

 

[Unbreakable]

Nof was leading the NRL in tackle busts and metres gained for a lot of last year, he's a gun winger offensively. Defence is his issue.

 

[Wolfie]

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

I think thats the crux of everything. He wants to be a back rower, but he doesnt want to lose his starting spot to achieve it. It seems he doesnt want to drop down a level if need be to prove himself. He cant have everything, he either has to go all in to be a back rower or a winger, he just cant be both.

 

[Number6]

I think thats the crux of everything. He wants to be a back rower, but he doesnt want to lose his starting spot to achieve it. It seems he doesnt want to drop down a level if need be to prove himself. He cant have everything, he either has to go all in to be a back rower or a winger, he just cant be both.

Why does he need to drop a level to prove himself? He’s proven his effort and heart. Agree defensive positioning and decision making is a worry but more than Sua or the other young backrowers?

Give him a crack off the bench for a month or so. Prefer him on the wing but he’s earned a shot if he wants it. And if he fails then he can go back to the wing for the rest of the year. In the meantime Allan and Issako can have a shot at the back.

 

[Wolfie]

Why does he need to drop a level to prove himself? He’s proven his effort and heart. Agree defensive positioning and decision making is a worry but more than Sua or the other young backrowers?

Give him a crack off the bench for a month or so. Prefer him on the wing but he’s earned a shot if he wants it. And if he fails then he can go back to the wing for the rest of the year. In the meantime Allan and Issako can have a shot at the back.

He has to earn his spot really. He cant be given a back row spot based on his play on the wing. Sua was better than him in the back row in the trials so is probably in front of him in that respect. I just think he needs to go all in as a back rower and he needs to perform there. I'd that means he has to tear it up kijn ISC thats what he needs to do. I don't think it would hurt him to work on a few things in ISC.

 

[Foordy]

Why does he need to drop a level to prove himself? He’s proven his effort and heart. Agree defensive positioning and decision making is a worry but more than Sua or the other young backrowers?

Give him a crack off the bench for a month or so. Prefer him on the wing but he’s earned a shot if he wants it. And if he fails then he can go back to the wing for the rest of the year. In the meantime Allan and Issako can have a shot at the back.

He hasn't earned a shot at back row ... he has earned his wing position, but not back row.

If he wan't to be a backrower, then he needs to learn the position and you don't do that at NRL level. and just in case you were wondering, backrow and wing are completely different positions. different work loads, different defensive structures, different attacking patterns and plays etc.

playing a few minutes in trials against weakened opposition doesn't in the slightest prepare you for playing top level opposition.

at NRL you don't have time to wait and hope that a player picks up a new position (especially the defensive differences), it is far too risky to allow him to get found out then have to play catch-up for the remainder of the game ... if you need to do that in too many games, you can kiss goodbye to the season.

Now Oates may leave thinking he will get a crack at playing backrow at another club, without first learning the position in the lower grades, but he needs to be very wary ... he only needs to look at the players to have left the club because they were promised a certain position, only for their new clubs to "change their minds" once they have them signed.

 

[Number6]

He hasn't earned a shot at back row ... he has earned his wing position, but not back row.

If he wan't to be a backrower, then he needs to learn the position and you don't do that at NRL level. and just in case you were wondering, backrow and wing are completely different positions. different work loads, different defensive structures, different attacking patterns and plays etc.

playing a few minutes in trials against weakened opposition doesn't in the slightest prepare you for playing top level opposition.

at NRL you don't have time to wait and hope that a player picks up a new position (especially the defensive differences), it is far too risky to allow him to get found out then have to play catch-up for the remainder of the game ... if you need to do that in too many games, you can kiss goodbye to the season.

Now Oates may leave thinking he will get a crack at playing backrow at another club, without first learning the position in the lower grades, but he needs to be very wary ... he only needs to look at the players to have left the club because they were promised a certain position, only for their new clubs to "change their minds" once they have them signed.

True about going to “greener pastures” issue.

I agree it’s a different position but it wouldn’t be bad for him to sink or swim so he can see where he really is at. I want Oates long term so let’s repay the faith and let him show what he can do. If he fails then talk QCup or wing. If he succeeds run with it.

At end of day disagree Sua is ahead of Oates in pecking order. Sua made dumb young bloke decisions when he came on. And on the bench Oates covers a backline position as well as back row.

 

[Sproj]

He'd be the bench utility back if Bird was fit and I suspect definitely will be once said player is back in the side.