Brisbane radio presenter Kip Wightman asked to leave during Corey Oates farewell

A radio presenter has revealed on-air why he was asked to leave Suncorp stadium during his co-host’s farewell.

KIIS 97.3's breakfast trio Kip Wightman, Robin Bailey, and Corey Oates.

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Brisbane radio presenter Kip Wightman has revealed on-air the moment he was escorted from the field during Corey Oates’ Suncorp Stadium farewell.

Former Bronco and one-club player Oates was officially given a long-awaited fan farewell at the Broncos and Cowboys NRL game on Friday night.

Oates, 30, revealed on Robin, Kip and Corey Oates KISS 97.3 on Monday morning how emotional the one-time Origin winger got during the lap of honour with wife Tegan and children Huxy and Monty.

“I was pretty relaxed and ready to do it... I was a bit taken back from the crowd for the roar,” said Oates, who played 216 games from 2013 to 2024.

“That’s the part I knew I was always going to miss the most. I got a little bit emotional when they were doing that.

“... I used to do a circle and feel the crowd... The roar when you run out is always really good...I used to get goosebumps when I was playing.

“As soon as they did that ... I got a little bit teary.”

But Oates’ co-host Robin Bailey said she felt “ripped off” for missing what was the former Bronco’s final moment.

Corey Oates farewells the fans after announcing his retirement before the round three NRL match between Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium, on Friday. Photo: Bradley Kanaris

“I was so annoyed, it was not shown on the tele ... I feel like that ripped off everyone who was watching the game,” she said.

The veteran winger announced his retirement from footy on the Robin and Kip KIIS 97.3FM in October and moved to breakfast radio with the pair in November.

Wightman attended on Friday night to support his new co-host to only be escorted away minutes after entering the field, just as Oates was being interviewed by former teammate Sam Thaiday.

“So I got to the game but I only had a regular sort of media pass which gets you up into the media box but doesn’t get you onto the field. I managed to get myself into the tunnel,” Kip said.

“... Because I did the on ground stuff for five years and my old station we were partners ... all the security guys knew me.

KIIS 97.3's new breakfast trio Kip Wightman, Robin Bailey, and Corey Oates, Milton. Picture: Liam Kidston

“... I am walking out on to the ground and I can see Corey over there with his family, and about to walk to the mic with Sammy (Thaiday) and I go over and I start filming, and I am getting photos.

“All of sudden one of the main staff for the Broncos has spotted me filming and she has come running over and gone ‘you are not supposed to be here’.”

Kip was asked to leave the grounds apparently due to a conflict of interest with his previous employer Nova.

“They pay a lot of money to be partners so even though we are very entrenched with the Broncos, we are not officially entrenched,” Wightman said.

“They said ‘you need to go now’ and they escorted me from the field.”

Wightman then told Oates that while he was taking his lap of honour his colleague was being hauled by security out of the grounds.

“I was back in the sin bin, I was going down the tunnel,” he said.

Both Bailey and Oates then laughed at Wightman’s misfortune.

“I thought you were sweet, even Mitch (Lewis) didn’t care you were there,” Oates said.

Wightman said while he is not allowed to use any footage he took he has since shared it with Oates.