NEWS Oates's brutal assessment of his Broncos future

[Kyall]

TPJ - Keep
Su'A - Keep
Lodge - Try to keep but expendable
Isaako - Keep

Bird - Punt
Boyd - Retire

That's the solution

Lodge has been 1 of our best and most consistent players I think he’s more important than everyone except TPJ.

 

[mitch222]

Your first sentence is not true, sure the Broncs will have to pay some of his wage but even if another team takes up half his salary, that's 350k+ extra to help retain the kids, that may just be what's needed.

Your second sentence is a great way of making my point sound far less valid than it is and if I were a poster who often goes on about punting blokes for other kids because they jumped or ran nicely once, it would make sense...except I'm not. I've also been vocally against the Bird signing from day one, so not even bandwagoning either.

And if you think Bird has been a good return on a bad investment opportunity in the first place, well good on you, that's your choice. Regardless, his salary could be far better used on other players as it could have been before the Broncs signed him in the first place. If he effectively only costs Oates, it is a stupid decision...except it isn't only Oates he would have cost.

Im willing to give Bird another year under the system. It took Roberts a while to get going and Milford too. Birds injuries have fucked his season royally this year. If he is still a dud by the end of next year then by all means look elsewhere for better value.

Money isnt going to cost us Corey Oates. What will cost us Corey Oates is if he wants to play second row exclusively and doesnt want to do the team first approach. We need him on the wing at the moment and thats where he is. We have been crippled by backline injuries all through the year and the need for a quality finisher meant that he was required on the wing. Oates is only 23, he still has another good 5-7 years of first grade football to make the transition to the back row should the coach view him in that capacity which is what will happen over time as he slows up a bit.

Also, these young kids will have ridiculous money thrown at them by desperate clubs. We cant afford to get into a dick swinging contest with them considering we have alot of young kids to sign and we still operate under a salary cap. Im prepared to lose one or two because we do pretty much every year. Yeah it hurts but the next man steps up the next season anyways. We lost Blair last year and Lodge and TPJ stepped up to fill the void. Sure you may never replace said player with said calibre immediately but we always find a more than handy replacement eventually

 

[Jason Simmons]

Would rather he coach the side instead of spending to much time squashing media rumors and responding to media articles.

Or respond to media rumours by re-signing Oates...

 

[Sproj]

Or respond to media rumours by re-signing Oates...

Especially when he actually can’t.

 

[Scorchie]

Oates in the back row or not, you can’t disagree this guy has made headlines from the first year he played. He brings crowds, he gets us off our couches cheering the big man to the line. When was the last player to do that ignoring Hunt’s 2014-15 and Milford ‘15? Probably Lockyer before them

I’d like to think this is home, regardless of how much money he is thrown. Sydney is cold in winter, Melbourne is worse!

I can’t imagine those highlight reels in other club colours, would be a pretty rubbish feeling tbh.

 

[Wolfie]

I really wouldnt be surprised if he ends up down at Melbourne quite honestly and playing in the back row. Its not about the money for him now, that will come in the future, its about him proving he can play in the back row. Thats where he wants to be so i dont think its as easy as when people say " just pay him whatever he wants to keep him, but leave him on the wing ". What he wants is to play back row. I hope he stays and can convince him to play wing, but i have my doubts.

 

[bingale16]

This is tough but if i had to chose between Sua or Oates - i would take Oates. He can play backrow and wing if required... Glenn would have to be a bench player if he wants to stay and promote the young ones.
But if Bennett wont let him play in the backrow, i think he will go regardless which is a shame cause he has been our top3 players this year.
Not a fan of Moose, i reckon he is too much a hog and always breaks the play. Much prefer TPJ at 13.

 

[Waynesaurus]

I would be be pretty disappointed if we lost Oates, he is just a Bronco through an through and the fans just love him, but saying that I can understand if he took an opportunity to go somewhere that gives him a chance to play second row.

I think Sua is an investment in the future and is a must keep as is TPJ, unfortunately I agree that probably leaves Glenn as the fall guy assuming Gillett returns, which is also disappointing as Glenn he has been a great player for our club and just real decent bloke. Glenn is just one of those reliable guys you need who doesn't cost you a lot of money.

I would think if Bird was fit to play centre (with Kahu on the wing) then Oates would have been given a chance in the second row, unfortunately due to injuries to both Kahu and Bird that just hasn't happened, sadly it may just cost us Oates.

 

[mrslong]

Losing Oates will be like reliving losing Tuqiri all over again.

 

[the_next]

I would be be pretty disappointed if we lost Oates, he is just a Bronco through an through and the fans just love him, but saying that I can understand if he took an opportunity to go somewhere that gives him a chance to play second row.

I think Sua is an investment in the future and is a must keep as is TPJ, unfortunately I agree that probably leaves Glenn as the fall guy assuming Gillett returns, which is also disappointing as Glenn he has been a great player for our club and just real decent bloke. Glenn is just one of those reliable guys you need who doesn't cost you a lot of money.

I would think if Bird was fit to play centre (with Kahu on the wing) then Oates would have been given a chance in the second row, unfortunately due to injuries to both Kahu and Bird that just hasn't happened, sadly it may just cost us Oates.

Imagine if the Bird experiment $ is why we loose Oates. What a monumental f up that'd be.. :fully:

 

[john1420]

BRONCOS match winner Corey Oates admits his future at the club remains in limbo, saying: “If they don’t want me, there’s no point hanging around.”

What a strange thing to say

As if the Broncos don't want him!

Of course they do

 

[mitch222]

Imagine if the Bird experiment $ is why we loose Oates. What a monumental f up that'd be.. :fully:

If we lose any player its going to be blamed on Birds salary which in reality is bullshit. We lost Hunt last year and replaced him with Bird or did people expect us to go into the season with a spare 750 to 800k unused? Everyone would have called for Bennetts head if that was the case

 

[mitch222]

Losing Oates will be like reliving losing Tuqiri all over again.

Minto debuted the next season in Tuqiris place so we lost nothing in hindsight

 

[winslow_wong]

Minto debuted the next season in Tuqiris place so we lost nothing in hindsight

I reckon sensei Minto taught Oates how to play. Both lanky and have those long ass strides

 

[Foordy]

I really wouldnt be surprised if he ends up down at Melbourne quite honestly and playing in the back row. Its not about the money for him now, that will come in the future, its about him proving he can play in the back row. Thats where he wants to be so i dont think its as easy as when people say " just pay him whatever he wants to keep him, but leave him on the wing ". What he wants is to play back row. I hope he stays and can convince him to play wing, but i have my doubts.

He will need to be careful, when making a decision ...

I can see coaches promising him a shot at the backrow, maybe even play him there in the trials, only to put him on the wing when the season starts ... they have all seen what he can do on the wing

Imagine if the Bird experiment $ is why we loose Oates. What a monumental f up that'd be.. :fully:

money will NOT be the deciding factor in whether Oates leaves ... he'll get a decent offer from us...

 

[Sproj]

There is no doubt Oates will go straight on to the wing at his new club if he leaves, I reckon he knows it too. That's why the only move that makes sense is Melbourne since they have Vunivalu and Addo-Carr, a shot at the second-row would be a legitimate option for him there and I have to say, I'd die a lot inside watching him run around in that jersey.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Oates in the back row or not, you can’t disagree this guy has made headlines from the first year he played. He brings crowds, he gets us off our couches cheering the big man to the line. When was the last player to do that ignoring Hunt’s 2014-15 and Milford ‘15? Probably Lockyer before them

I’d like to think this is home, regardless of how much money he is thrown. Sydney is cold in winter, Melbourne is worse!

I can’t imagine those highlight reels in other club colours, would be a pretty rubbish feeling tbh.

I'd add Jharal Yow Yeh to that list just on potential alone he was a player that got fans genuinely excited, fired up and wanting to watch over and over, cruelly robbed by injury but man I would love to have had him in this side right now. As good as Oates is, I would say Yow Yeh had the potential to be even better.

 

[Scorchie]

Agreed, JYY was a beast