NEWS Oates under pressure to make transition

[Huge]

he was the best back rower in his 20's days, so this isn't anything new to him.
also we should remember when hook used to play him in the backrow late in some games - he was near unstoppable.
the other thing about him being in the back row should he make it, milford or nikorima are gonna have a big body crashing on to the ball that will attract 2 or 3 defenders everytime. this will give them heaps more room to move and free up space for bird or roberts. they can play to oates or even decoy and go them selves or hit the outside backs. i can see big points!! and exciting attacking footy which is what we want to see.

I have no wish to be argumentative but I also remember Oates playing a season as a second rower and he went okay but I didn't think he was near unstoppable ! In fact I thought that idiot Griffin blunted Oates try scoring ability and used a big boy for a man's job. I'd go so far as to say Griffin was a large contributor to Oates receiving some quite severe injuries.

Like I say, I'm not looking to argue and Oates certainly can jump as he is athletic enough but as a winger he should have already had dozens of tries that way. I know Oates wants to play in the forwards and good luck to him but I guess I'll have to wait to see what he can produce but really, I'm not expecting him to have much more than an adequate performance .

 

[Battler]

I just hate it when players try to dictate where they play in the side and hold clubs to ransom over it. If he fails in the 2nd row, and that includes him getting injured because he knows his body, then I'm in favour of giving him the flick.

Obviously I hope he goes well, but he's putting it all on the line.

 

[Unbreakable]

I imagine there's a very realistic chance this is the last year we have Oates, he could be surplus to needs either way if he wants to be a backrower. We'll have another 2-3 good years at least out of Glenn & Gillett, and then we've got Fifita coming through who's supposed to be special, not even mentioning Su'A who is still only 20 years old remarkably.

 

[pagey]

I agree, he has had too many areas of his body beaten up and operated on and these injuries simply don't disappear when you keep doing the things that caused the serious injury in the first place. This wing/backrow conjecture doesn't really concern me as he is not looking at a long career in the game unfortunately.

I can't see diving tries in the corner being all that great for his so called fragile body either.

 

[Kyall]

1 great thing about Oates playing second row is if he busts the line from a Milford short ball he could easily burn the defending fullback for speed.

 

[Accept]

I can't see diving tries in the corner being all that great for his so called fragile body either.

I never said it would be. Regardless of where he plays, injuries are going to occur. I hope he can shake the injury bug but history suggests that it is unlikely.

 

[talanoa]

I have no wish to be argumentative but I also remember Oates playing a season as a second rower and he went okay but I didn't think he was near unstoppable ! In fact I thought that idiot Griffin blunted Oates try scoring ability and used a big boy for a man's job. I'd go so far as to say Griffin was a large contributor to Oates receiving some quite severe injuries.

Like I say, I'm not looking to argue and Oates certainly can jump as he is athletic enough but as a winger he should have already had dozens of tries that way. I know Oates wants to play in the forwards and good luck to him but I guess I'll have to wait to see what he can produce but really, I'm not expecting him to have much more than an adequate performance .

i think what we can all agree on is how bad griffin was and still is. sounds like the panthers are inploding under his watch - i am not surprised though.
i agree griffin probably hurt him a bit, but he was only 20 or so back then when he played a bit in the back row. he has developed a hell of a lot since then.
i reckon the difference with him competing for the high ball from wing to a more middle spot will be less hassle from the opposition winger as they are expecting the cross field kick where as a kick to the middle will be more isolated. also the kicker has a bit more room for error rather than trying to land it right on the wing.
i dont expect him to hit the heights straight away, however if they give him some time in the backrow i think he can play origin in that position.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

I can see him getting smashed in the forwards. I can understand why he wants to make the transition ($) but he's an excellent wing. I think that's his natural position.

 

[talanoa]

I never said it would be. Regardless of where he plays, injuries are going to occur. I hope he can shake the injury bug but history suggests that it is unlikely.

im not concerned about his injuries, a lot of little niggles in his late teen's and very early 20's which resulted in a few surgeries- his body was still growing most likely which would have had an impact. if he had 3 acl reco's then i would he concerned.
benji was a good example, 3 or 4 shoulder reco's early on and then once his body had developed he was relatively major injury free for the remainder of his career.
i think we need to remember he has nealry played a 100 first grade games and he is still only 23.

 

[WASSHHH]

Honestly, there are a lot of doubters on here regarding this topic and whilst some doubts may be warranted, many seem to have totally dismissed the idea before a ball has even been kicked.
As I said in my earlier post; if he can stay injury free and prove he has the cardio and defence required to play back row, he could be phenomenal - if not the best backrower we’ve had.
He has size and knows how to play league - there is nothing manufactured about his attacking nous, he’s just one of those blokes who’s born with it.

 

[Huge]

i think what we can all agree on is how bad griffin was and still is. sounds like the panthers are inploding under his watch - i am not surprised though.
i agree griffin probably hurt him a bit, but he was only 20 or so back then when he played a bit in the back row. he has developed a hell of a lot since then.
i reckon the difference with him competing for the high ball from wing to a more middle spot will be less hassle from the opposition winger as they are expecting the cross field kick where as a kick to the middle will be more isolated. also the kicker has a bit more room for error rather than trying to land it right on the wing.
i dont expect him to hit the heights straight away, however if they give him some time in the backrow i think he can play origin in that position.

I thought Griffin was mad when the he put Oates into the backrow. He had put his two highest tryscorers from the previous year into new positions. Rather than strengthen his weaknesses he moved two players from positions where they had proven highly effective already. I'm sure he thought that was clever, moving both closer to the middle and the action but it plainly wasn't. From reports and player movements in Penrith I'm guessing Griffin may be in his last ever year of NRL.

Do you think Tagatese will be on the bench for round one ?

 

[john1420]

I thought Griffin was mad when the he put Oates into the backrow. He had put his two highest tryscorers from the previous year into new positions. Rather than strengthen his weaknesses he moved two players from positions where they had proven highly effective already. I'm sure he thought that was clever, moving both closer to the middle and the action but it plainly wasn't. From reports and player movements in Penrith I'm guessing Griffin may be in his last ever year of NRL.

Do you think Tagatese will be on the bench for round one ?

Yeah I do, but I'm not in the know

 

[Mightybroncs2k17]

Given the long taxing season gillet had last Year leading to his limited off season I'd say he won't be up to playing 80 minutes until round 4-5. Depending on how Wayne uses thaiday and glenn, oates may get a chance to prove himself early in the season with a few stints in the back row.

 

[mitch222]

Given the long taxing season gillet had last Year leading to his limited off season I'd say he won't be up to playing 80 minutes until round 4-5. Depending on how Wayne uses thaiday and glenn, oates may get a chance to prove himself early in the season with a few stints in the back row.

Gillett is used to playing 80 minutes week in week out now. I dont think that will change unless he has a injury. I think Thaiday will play alot of front row this year especially with Oates going to second row. A rotation of Oates, Glenn, Gillett & McGuire will be plenty of minutes enough for them considering three of them can play 80 at the drop of a hat.

 

[Huge]

Gillett is used to playing 80 minutes week in week out now. I dont think that will change unless he has a injury. I think Thaiday will play alot of front row this year especially with Oates going to second row. A rotation of Oates, Glenn, Gillett & McGuire will be plenty of minutes enough for them considering three of them can play 80 at the drop of a hat.

You may be right about Thaiday but it struck me as weird how we both can look at things and see completely different outcomes. My view is Thaiday will not see much game time at all and I forecast him not being in the 17 quite a few times. To me Thaiday is not really a genuine front rower and I don't see him replacing guys who are. As I've written a few times I think WB will use Taga and Joe O as front row relief. I believe Thaiday will be competing for a backrow spot and not getting one most of the time. Of course, that will depend on him continuing his decline but if he puts in a massive effort in his last Bronco season that could very well change.

 

[Scorchie]

Good luck, Corey

 

[theshed]

Oates has all the attributes needed to be a very good 2nd rower, and we all knew this would be his logical transition.

Unfortunately it comes at a tune when we are short on outside backs and are very well-off up front.


I have no doubt he will be good, the only question is how long will it take for him to be good, and if we persevere with him long enough to achieve that at our club.

 

[Wild Horse]

It's not so much how Oates will go that is the concern. I'ts how his replacement will handle the first grade duties on the wing..

If Oates plays well in the 2nd row and if either Person or Issako can really take the wing spot by the scruff of the neck - it's a win, win situation. Could be a blessing in disguise boys. New blood in the team.