Oates sees the light

RECALLED from the rugby league wilderness and reborn as a State of Origin starter, Maroons winger Corey Oates says three conversations have primed him for Wednesday’s decider at Suncorp Stadium.

Oates admitted he thought his Origin curtain call had come – and perhaps even his time in the NRL – when he was dropped to Queensland Cup last year.

Struggling to find form in a Broncos team that finished 14th in 2021, Oates said it took “hitting rock bottom” before realising he had a problem.

“You look back now and the way I was … my head wasn’t in the right place and I wasn’t listening to people,” the 27-year-old said on Sunday.

“I’ve got a lot of people to thank for getting me back. It was a wake-up call, one that I needed, definitely.”

Broncos coach Kevin Walters was one of the first to congratulate Oates on his recall, which comes three years since his last Origin start.

It prompted a retrospective Oates to recall the candid conversation he had with Walters last year that forced him to accept he needed to change.

“I have to thank Kevvie. He was trying to say to me when he came in (to the Broncos) he just wanted me to be the player I was and the player everyone knew I could be, and when he said that at the time I said, ‘What are you talking about? I’m still that person.’ I look back now and I definitely wasn’t. I wasn’t even a shadow of that bloke,” Oates said.

“Everyone tried (to talk to me), I just didn’t listen. … People are saying it’s career-best form … but I’m just happy to be playing good footy and enjoying it again.”

Another man who is thrilled with Oates’ form is Maroons coach Billy Slater, who has put his trust in the Broncos flyer to replicate his club success and deliver Queensland a series victory against incredible odds.

With Walters and Slater backing him in, Oates had all the confidence he needed. But it was a call from Murray Taulagi, the man whose vacated jersey he will take on Wednesday, which steeled him for his long-awaited Origin return.

“He called me, Murray, and congratulated me and I thought that was massive from him. The young kid saying congratulations to me for getting my spot back,” Oates said.

“It was really unfortunate for him, he’s playing great footy and I really felt for him and thought that call was humungous.

“I never expected it at all and it just shows the sort of player and person he is and shows where the (Maroons) squad is at.”