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Message: [QUOTE="Super Freak, post: 2729609, member: 8536"] 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.’’ [url]http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/teams/broncos/wayne-bennett-says-corey-oates-is-not-tough-enough-to-move-to-the-forwards/news-story/379a6f0c91d606741a4a8d5dba64c6e8[/url] [/QUOTE]

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