Corey Oates (born 20 October 1994) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as er for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Oates has represented Queensland in the State of Origin series.
He is the only remaining player from the Broncos 2015 NRL Grand Final team still in a playing capacity at the club.
Background
Oates was born in Biloela, Queensland, Australia but was raised in the small town of Baralaba.
He played his junior football for the Baralaba Panthers and attended St Brendan's College in Yeppoon before being signed by the Brisbane Broncos.
Playing career
Early career
Oates played for the Brisbane Broncos NYC team in 2012–2013.
On 21 April 2012, Oates represented the Queensland Under 20s team against the New South Wales Under 20s, playing off the interchange bench in the 18–14 loss at Penrith Stadium.
In 2013 he continued playing for the Brisbane Broncos in the under 20s and again represented the Queensland under 20s.
In Round 17 of the 2013 NRL season, Oates made his NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos against the Melbourne Storm, coming off the interchange bench in Brisbane's 32–0 loss at AAMI Park. In his next match, in Round 18 against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at Suncorp Stadium, Oates scored his first NRL career try in Brisbane's 19–18 loss. Oates finished his debut year in the NRL with him playing in 9 matches and scoring 8 tries for the Brisbane club in the 2013 NRL season. Oates was named the 2013 Brisbane Broncos season's rookie of the year. On 27 August 2013, Oates was named at second-row in the 2013 NYC team of the year.
2014
Oates missed the first two matches of the season with a knee injury, returning in Round 3 against the Sydney Roosters, playing off the interchange bench in the 30–26 loss at Suncorp Stadium. On 18 July 2014, Oates was demoted to the Queensland Cup along with Jack Reed and Daniel Vidot by coach Anthony Griffin after breaching team protocol with a mid-week boozing session. Oates returned a week later in Round 20 against the Melbourne Storm, playing off the interchange bench in the 30–8 loss at Suncorp Stadium. Oates finished the 2014 NRL season with him playing in 20 matches and scoring 5 tries. On 9 October 2014, Oates extended his contract with the Brisbane club, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2017 season.
2015
In Round 9 against the Penrith Panthers, Oates scored the winning try with two minutes to go in Brisbane's 8–5 win at Suncorp Stadium. In Round 25, Oates scored a 95-metre try against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, fending off an attempted tackle from Dylan Walker in doing so in the 47–12 win at Sydney Football Stadium. Leading into Brisbane's 2015 finals campaign, Oates would edge out Lachlan Maranta for the left wing spot after spending most of the season reverting from the wing to the interchange bench. On 4 October 2015, Oates played 2015 NRL Grand Final against the North Queensland Cowboys, starting on the wing and scoring the first try of the match but later made a crucial defensive error on the final siren by running off his wing to tackle Michael Morgan with the ball who flicked the ball to the unmarked Kyle Feldt to tie up the scores at 16-all to send the match into golden point, during which Brisbane lost 17-16 after Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston kicked the premiership sealing field goal for his club. Oates finished the 2015 NRL season with him playing in 25 matches and scoring 14 tries.
2016
On 12 January 2016, Oates was selected in the QAS Emerging Maroons squad. In February 2016, Oates was named in the Broncos 2016 NRL Auckland Nines squad, but was later ruled out. In Round 7 against the Newcastle Knights, Oates scored his first career hat trick of tries in Brisbane's 53–0 win at Suncorp Stadium. After showing some great try scoring form in the early rounds, Oates earn himself a wing spot for Queensland in the 2016 State of Origin series. On 1 June 2016 Oates made his debut for Queensland in Game 1, on the wing in the Maroons low scoring 6–4 win at ANZ Stadium. In Game 2 of the series, Oates scored his first try for the Maroons in the series winning 26–16 victory at Suncorp Stadium. Oates finished the 2016 NRL season as Brisbane's highest tryscorer with 18 tries in 22 matches. On 20 September 2016, Oates was added to the Australia Kangaroos 2016 Four Nations train-on squad but later make the final 24-man squad.