Some bad luck for Greg Inglis has helped Corey Oates return to State of Origin. Now the bruising Brisbane winger wants to make his presence felt, on the field and perhaps at the negotiating table later in the year.
Oates knows his task next Wednesday night, when he joins Dane Gagai on the left side of the field at Suncorp Stadium. It will be to put the brakes on Tom Trbojevic and his Brisbane team-mate James Roberts, two of the bright faces of the new Blues.
Corey Oates in action for the Broncos earlier this year.
Photo: AAP
"Bit of speed out there, isn't there? I just think we've got to get up in their face, try and shut their speed down," said Oates, who has been in excellent form in the NRL as Brisbane march towards the finals.
But there is more at stake than just an Origin spot for Oates. He still doesn't have a club for next season and beyond and has designs of deploying his big frame in the back row.
That's a chance he's unlikely to get at Red Hill given the depth they have in the position. Souths have been mentioned as potential suitors as they chase a replacement for the departing Angus Crichton.
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It all makes a strong performance in Origin even more important for Oates, who could find himself with another bargaining chip as he begins to weigh up his options.
"It can bea distraction, not knowing where you stand with your club, or any other club really. It's tough. But I struggled with it early and now I'm starting to deal with it. I've just got to keep playing good football and having something to talk about when I get to the table," Oates said.
Oates was bitterly disappointed with missing out on the first two games but has excellent players in his way, with Dane Gagai and Valentine Holmes once again two of Queensland's best. But injury to Inglis has forced a positional shift for Gagai, which opened up the vacancy for the hard-running Oates.
There had been a few interesting discussions with chairman of selectors Gene Miles, who also happens to be his father-in-law.
"I've tried to make it awkward but that's a bit mean. I don't think of it that way… I'm just another player. I had a little joke but we move on pretty quickly," Oates said.
In reality, he struggled to come to terms with the news of his non-selection, saying his moods dived and his football followed suit.
"It's tough. I let it get to me too much. It's not the right way to go about it. You try and move on and try to keep improving. So I've obviously done something.
"It was just in my moods. I'm a pretty happy person usually and I was pretty quiet that week. It showed in the Melbourne game. I didn't think I played that great. When you have an off week, there's always a reason behind it.
"Little things get to you but you move on and learn."
Oates may even get some time closer to the middle of the park if there are injuries, which have been the flavour of the fortnight for the Maroons. Re-selection on the wing could yet become the perfect chance to prove he can live on the edge.
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