As a winger, Corey Oates reckons he makes a pretty good back-rower.
And even his recall on Queensland’s left wing for July 11’s State of Origin game three hasn’t changed his mind.
In fact, off contract Oates is more determined than ever to earn a back-row start and has not ruled out leaving his beloved NRL club Brisbane to get it.
Oates gets his first Origin chance since playing the last of his four games for Queensland in last year’s record series-opening 28-4 loss to NSW.
He only got another chance in a backline reshuffle caused by inspirational centre and skipper Greg Inglis’ unavailability with a broken thumb.
“This means everything. It’s the dream. Once you get a taste of it you always want to get it back – I missed it,” Oates said of his recall.
“I didn’t think I had a chance at all (this year). A few injuries helped.”
While thrilled to combine with left centre Dane Gagai who replaces Inglis, Oates insisted on Wednesday: “I am a back-rower playing on the wing.
“I’m not the electric winger. I am slow and powerful. I feel like a forward.
“I was thrown on the wing when I first came into first grade. I was always coming through as a back-rower, I loved it and still do.”
Oates is still waiting on talks with Brisbane – a process that has not been helped by the lanky Broncos winger being in between managers.
He is one of the first picked for the Broncos on the wing but Oates has not given up on cracking the back-row – even if it means leaving Brisbane.
Asked if he would consider linking with an NRL club that offered him a back-row start, Oates said: “You always do (consider it) but you have to look at a lot of other things too, it’s not just one thing I look at signing for a club.
“(But) I feel playing back-row brings more out of me than the wing.”
Cracking Brisbane’s back-row will be easier said than done with the likes of Joe Ofahengaue, Jaydn Su’A and rookie David Fifita in the squad – not that Oates had to be told.
“It’s promising signs for us – well maybe not for me,” he said. “It’s tough but I am not going to stop knocking on the door.”
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