Axed from the team in favour of the younger Deine Mariner, veteran Corey Oates has reportedly fronted coach Kevin Walters after being overlooked for selection this week.
The sole member left of the Broncos 2015 Grand Final team that lost to the Cowboys, Oates has become a try-scoring wizard at the club. With 118 tries, he sits in fourth place on the club's all-time try-scoring leaderboard.
However, despite previously being a mainstay of the team and representing Queensland in the State of Origin nine times, the winger's future is uncertain after being axed in favour of young guns Jesse Arthars and Deine Mariner.
Off-contract at the end of the season, Oates was overlooked for the opening two games of the year and may find it tough to dethrone the two youngsters on the wing.
The Courier Mail has reported that he is privately frustrated about not being selected for the NRL team and Kevin Walters' decision to allocate him to the Burleigh Bears in the QLD Cup.
Required to play for the Bears in reserve grade, Oates had concerns over the travel as it is more than 110km from his Brisbane home.
Instead, he would rather have been allocated to the Wynnum Manly Seagulls or Souths Logan Magpies—the two clubs are based in Brisbane rather than the Gold Coast.
“Corey didn't play on the weekend (for Burleigh) and I don't think he will play this weekend either,” Walters said.
“We are just keeping him fresh.
“I just feel at the moment I want to go with our other two wingers in Deine and Jesse (Arthars).
“It's hard for Corey, he's not playing at the moment, but that's not to say he won't be back for us at some stage this season.”
Overlooked for Jesse Arthars last season, he has now been overlooked for Deine Mariner, who was regarded as one of the best schoolboys centres throughout his junior career.
The 20-year-old has played seven games for the club since arriving there in 2022 and is hoping to have a breakout season and cement his spot in an already formidable backline.
Last week, he made four tackle busts, and ran 121 metres against the Sydney Roosters.
“It's a big year for myself,” Mariner said via The Courier Mail.
“My first goal is to maintain a spot in the starting 17 week in, week out.
“There's a lot of competition for spots here. I love the club and what they have done for me, so that's my goal for the year, just to be really consistent with my football.
“When Kevvie let me know I was playing (in round 1) I just wanted to repay the faith he had in me and put my best foot forward.
“At the end of the day, I knew there were positions up for grabs and every week I have to keep building on that.
“I have to do my best to keep building and do what I can to stay in the team. I don't want to lose my spot.”
AS A HUGE BRONCOS FAN IM PRETTY DISAPPOINTED IN KEVVY FOR THE WAY HE’S DROP OATES IT SHOULD BE OATES SPOT 2 LOSE NOT TAKEN FROM HIM, MY SON COPPED THE SAME THING GROWING UP BY A DISLOYALTY COACH AND NOW HE HATES THE GAME. OATES HAS BEEN LOYAL AND A GREAT PLAYER FOR THE CLUB, HE’S A 118 TIMES THE PLAYER MARINER IS IN A LOT OF WAYS 1 OF THEM IS HE’S TALLER AND A BIGGER BODY 2 HIS LOYAL TO TAKE A PAY CUT TO KEEN OTHER PLAYERS AT THE CLUB 3 4TH IN THE ALL TIME TRY SCORERS IN THE CLUB. 4 OATES WOULD MAKE A LOT MORE THEN 121m A GAME CONSISTENTLY ALL THE TIME. MARINER HAD NOTHING AGAINST THEM BIGGER BLOKES FROM THE ROOSTERS AND IT REALLY SHOW THAT GAME IN VAGAS.