Why Oates won't move just yet

[Super Freak]

BRONCOS beast Corey Oates has admitted he must get mentally stronger before making a move to the engine room.

Oates was incredible in Brisbane’s 17-4 season-opening win over Parramatta on Thursday night, running for more than 200m in a breathtaking performance on the wing.

The 21-year-old came through the junior grades as a damaging back-rower but has played the majority of his 55 NRL games on the wing.

At 192cm he is Brisbane’s tallest player and weighs 106kg after a pre-season strength program.

Oates is also Brisbane’s second-fastest player over 40m behind James “The Jet” Roberts, meaning he is quicker than fleet-footed five-eighth Anthony Milford.

Oates would not look out of place in Brisbane’s forward pack but coach Wayne Bennett said he was not ready for the rigours of an NRL forwards battle.

“He’ll have to toughen up a lot before he’ll be a forward,” Bennett said.

The Broncos forwards have based their game on a relentless, fighting attitude.

Adam Blair and Matt Gillett have developed into defensive enforcers, Sam Thaiday and Josh McGuire bash the ball up the middle and Corey Parker is tireless at lock.

Oates echoed Bennett’s sentiments when asked if he was ready to move to the middle of the field.

“That’s more in the head,” Oates said. “I need to get a lot stronger in the head. I’ve got to work on that first then we’ll see where I go.

“I just like being in the team for the whole year in the one spot at the moment. I want to get a full year and go from there.’'

Oates has long been touted as potential star but injuries have thwarted his progress.

His pre-season was the first he had completed without any restrictions and the results were there to see as he busted six tackles and terrorised Parramatta with three linebreaks.

“It’s been good to get a pre-season under my belt,” he said.

“My strength (has improved).

“I’ve always come back slowly from injuries. The last couple of years I’ve been lazy coming back from injuries and not wanted to do it.

“This year I focused on getting a lot stronger.’’

Oates does not have to search hard for motivation to avenge last year’s grand final defeat.

His opposite winger Kyle Feldt scored the match-levelling try for North Queensland after Oates was sucked off his wing by Michael Morgan.

“It’s one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to go through,” Oates said.

“We were so close. We’re going to work on getting back to that but we have a long road ahead of us.

“It always plays on my mind. You’ve got to trust your man.

“There has been times I’ve made the right decision and times I’ve made the wrong one. That was one of the wrong ones.

“You have to try and look past it and work on this year.’’

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/379a6f0c91d606741a4a8d5dba64c6e8

 

[winslow_wong]

Oates is an animal!

 

[tommy]

Oates is an animal!

Yeah he's going great on the wing.

 

[Huge]

This totally shows why Griffin really had no idea. I was spewing when he shifted his two best tryscorers from the year before into different roles. I repeatedly said that it was insane to put a young lad, still growing into the pack. I actually copped a fair bit of criticism , criticism people are entitled to make but it just didn't make sense to me. I'm guessing the old thinking that you needed a much more mature man to wage war in the middle was true. Mind you, I saw them smash a too young Adam Ritson back in the day and always felt that he was really too young to be there.

 

[Sirlee oldman]

This thread should be called why Oates should never move. The reason of course is that when you find a diamond the size of a besser brick you don't paint the bloody thing grey and use it in your retaining wall.

 

[Broncoman]

He is truly a modern day winger and is the kind of winger I really like. Love those blokes that are willing to throw themselves at the opposition and become an extra forward. What Oates did last night was a good example of that. Love that this guy wears our jersey.

 

[BroncosAlways]

Faster than Niko and Milf over 40'? Definitely doesn't look it...
What a freak.

 

[Huge]

This thread should be called why Oates should never move. The reason of course is that when you find a diamond the size of a besser brick you don't paint the bloody thing grey and use it in your retaining wall.

Of course, unless you are Anthony Griffin who did just that !

 

[bazza]

This totally shows why Griffin really had no idea. I was spewing when he shifted his two best tryscorers from the year before into different roles. I repeatedly said that it was insane to put a young lad, still growing into the pack. I actually copped a fair bit of criticism , criticism people are entitled to make but it just didn't make sense to me. I'm guessing the old thinking that you needed a much more mature man to wage war in the middle was true. Mind you, I saw them smash a too young Adam Ritson back in the day and always felt that he was really too young to be there.

To Griffin's credit, he was the one who brought Oates into first grade and more often than not played him in the backline rather than in the forwards, knowing full well that he was a backrower through the juniors. Oates had a string of great performances from the wing under Griffin. Bennett hasn't re-invented the wheel in that regard by continuing to play Oates on the wing. It's more a case of playing Oates wherever he was needed. That happened to be on the wing due to our lack of depth on the wing, and abundance of quality forwards.

 

[subsbligh]

He's one injury away from playing Origin this year on the wing.

 

[Sproj]

He's one injury away from playing Origin this year on the wing.

He's one injury away, he's in the team I dare say.

 

[Mitch06]

If he has the season he is capable of, hands down him over Gagai. I think Gagai will be found out this year if he plays (he will).

 

[Huge]

To Griffin's credit, he was the one who brought Oates into first grade and more often than not played him in the backline rather than in the forwards, knowing full well that he was a backrower through the juniors. Oates had a string of great performances from the wing under Griffin. Bennett hasn't re-invented the wheel in that regard by continuing to play Oates on the wing. It's more a case of playing Oates wherever he was needed. That happened to be on the wing due to our lack of depth on the wing, and abundance of quality forwards.

After Oates outstanding efforts on the wing he was moved in the new season into the back row where he was belted and much less effectively used. It was a knucklehead decision by Griffin, we already had more than enough in that position. Nobody said that WB had reinvented the wheel rather he highlighted what a stupid decision Griffin had made. The fact that I wrote just that repeatedly at the time makes me feel that at least for some of the time, WB and I think alike.