Oates tells Bennett he wants to play in the forwards

[Danoz Direct]

because he is fucking good on the wing and we have **** all depth in the position, while we are stacked for depth and talent in the backrow ... giving him what he wants right now will be hurting the team

Unless Pearson or Issako gun it, but that is an unknown at this stage.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Mead cops a bagging on here (from me included after one game in particular) but he'd be a starting winger at most teams, and a stand out in some of the worse teams. And Pearson and opacic are solid cover/depth.

Actually compared to Moga who copped it on a daily basis, Mead has came off pretty damn lightly for a player of his supposed calibre and that is despite an expectation he would be be at least pushing for a spot in the regular 17 which he couldn't do.

At present he might get a run at a few lesser teams but I doubt very much he would be a starter for the majority of contenders for a top eight finish, I'm not surprised about the talk of him heading to the superleague and I doubt the Broncos would even put up a fight over it.

 

[Alec]

We haven't had any other good wingers since 2011.... and we are still short on depth. I can see Oates thinking "What the **** are they doing about it?"

 

[talanoa]

Why would we force a player of Oates caliber to play in an unpreferred position? The bloke is damn close to a freak on the wing, I can't even imagine the heights he can reach in the back row. The combination of him and Gillett would be the best in the league.

Let him do what he wants. He's earned it frankly.

i agree.
oates was near unstoppable in the back row in the 20's, so i am comfortable he will handle it. yep i know its a big difference to nrl but lets go back a few years when hook used to bring oates into the second row late in games. he was running off hunt a bit and was causing all sorts of damage.
at the moment he virtually is a back rower anyway with the hard yards carries he does coming out of his own half.
i honestly think he could be an origin back rower.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Can his body handle it though...?

He's suffered a lot of injury on the wing........call me crazy, but playing backrow isn't going to get any softer.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Can his body handle it though...?

He's suffered a lot of injury on the wing........call me crazy, but playing backrow isn't going to get any softer.

Hows the additional defensive work going to work out for him as well? Starter or bench your going to be making tackles that have a harder impact on the body more regular then he would be out on the wing. Who is going to replace him? and what does that mean for the team balance as a whole especially in the backline.

 

[Mr Fourex]

If it were a natural progression...and or the team (coaches) decided that's the best option for him, fair enough.

But if Oates is going to force the issue and it's not for the betterment of the team, then he's being a dickhead AFAIC.

 

[Wolfie]

Oates sees himself as a forward so its natural he wants to play there. IF he doesnt get the chance and he isnt happy as a winger, this will be his final season with us imo.

 

[heartly87]

I say give the kid a shot. Even off the bench. He is a different shape, something we lack in the 2nd row is height. He cops hits from the wing on return sets. The kid can cop it on middle edge. I think he could be used like Carlaw for sure.

 

[john1420]

I say give the kid a shot. Even off the bench. He is a different shape, something we lack in the 2nd row is height. He cops hits from the wing on return sets. The kid can cop it on middle edge. I think he could be used like Carlaw for sure.

Now that's something to aspire to :lostit:

 

[GCBRONCO]

I want to be just like Jane Carlaw.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

I completely understand where Oates is coming from. He aspires to be on the big biscuits that are out there and he wont get them playing on the wing. He has to make the Broncos know he isn't happy playing on the wing.

 

[tommy]

I'd be fucking filthy if I were playing outside Moga for a season too. He hardly saw the ball unless it was a cutout pass. He might enjoy it more playing outside Bird or Jimmy.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

I'd be fucking filthy if I were playing outside Moga for a season too. He hardly saw the ball unless it was a cutout pass. He might enjoy it more playing outside Bird or Jimmy.

It's not about that. It's about money. You can command a lot more playing in the forwards than wing.

 

[GCBRONCO]

I completely understand where Oates is coming from. He aspires to be on the big biscuits that are out there and he wont get them playing on the wing. He has to make the Broncos know he isn't happy playing on the wing.

If he wants to be on the big biscuits and remain at the Broncos, going into the forwards isn't going to get that, Bennett is well known to not be big on overpaying his forwards and given the backrower options available at the club at present, I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised in response the club said well I wish you good luck elsewhere then.

I'm not saying he can't have a desire to play in the forwards, but wanting to and realistically actually playing there, especially at your present club with considerable competition in those positions are two very different things.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

If he wants to be on the big biscuits and remain at the Broncos, going into the forwards isn't going to get that, Bennett is well known to not be big on overpaying his forwards and given the backrower options available at the club at present, I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised in response the club said well I wish you good luck elsewhere then.

I'm not saying he can't have a desire to play in the forwards, but wanting to and realistically actually playing there, especially at your present club are two very different things.

If he is thinking this way about money (completely understandable) he's a good chance of leaving then imo.

 

[GCBRONCO]

If he is thinking this way about money (completely understandable) he's a good chance of leaving then imo.

Definitely and I wouldn't blame him if that is what he is after, sametime the Broncos aren't going to be held at gunpoint over it and nor should they.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

Definitely and I wouldn't blame him if that is what he is after, sametime the Broncos aren't going to be held at gunpoint over it and nor should they.

True. I respect Corey for pushing himself out of his comfort zone. Would be easy to collect an easyish living on the wing in the sense that that's his comfort zone at this point. But he has his goals and aspirations.