Xavier Coates firms as Broncos’ NRL round 1 replacement for Corey Oates
With Corey Oates still battling the after-effects of a serious leg infection, Brisbane flyer and big unit Xavier Coates looks set to start in round 1 for Brisbane. PLUS, Storm’s big sponsor problem.
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COREY Oates’ leg infection has opened the door for Broncos flyer Xavier Coates to nab a Round 1 NRL berth.
Coates has bolted into the mix along with Herbie Farnworth for Brisbane’s NRL season-opener against North Queensland.
Oates is behind the eight-ball after being hospitalised during the Christmas break with a serious infection in his lower leg.
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The Maroons winger returned to Broncos field training last Friday, but has been on a restricted program and lost weight.
Oates reckons he could be battling swelling in his leg for the entire season.
The Broncos are stacked with rising outside backs, and Coates is an impressive specimen.
At 100kg and 194cm, the 18-year-old Coates is a similar size to the 105kg and 195cm Oates.
He played three NRL matches in his debut season last year and has been labelled a “freak” by teammates.
“`X’ is a freak of an athlete, he’s a big boy,” Broncos back Jesse Arthars said.
“He’s working hard for a spot in that first 17. It’s good to see the young fellas going hard.
“There’s a lot of wingers and outside backs. It’s really healthy for the club at the moment.”
Oates joked with media about his weight loss when he made his training return last week with his leg bandaged.
The 25-year-old is Brisbane’s best winger, but faces a race to prove his fitness for the Broncos’ trials and March 13 season-opener at the new Townsville Stadium.
“It’s good to have Oatesy out there, he’s a good fella, he is a big athlete like X,” Arthars said.
“He came back a little bit skinny but I’m sure he’ll put it back on – he’s a big boy.”
CAN’T SELL THE STORM
THE most successful NRL club of the past decade is struggling to find a major sponsor.
Blindside can reveal the mighty Melbourne Storm are facing a seven-figure blow if they can’t find a naming rights backer.
The Storm and 2019 sponsor Purple Bricks have parted ways, and Melbourne has yet to find a replacement.
The Storm had a sponsor lined up but the deal fell over during the Christmas break.
Melbourne’s struggles prove just how hard it has become for clubs to secure money in the corporate sector.
This is a club which has won three of the past four minor premierships, nearly guaranteed to finish in the finals every year and is a regular grand final contender.
The Storm don’t want to cheapen their product by selling it for unders and are happy to hold out in the hope of landing a big fish.
Even the strong clubs face a fight in the NRL for funding.
DIY TITAN
AS a handyman, Justin Holbrook makes a good rugby league coach.
The Gold Coast Titans coach is sporting a nice scar down his shin following a DIY job that went bad.
The father-of-four was assembling a basketball hoop for his sons after Christmas which ended up in a trip to the doctor.
Holbrook slipped and sliced his shin open, a wound which later became infected. He had a bandage over the wound recently and is now rocking a scar for his troubles.
Holbrook reckons he is going to stick to coaching and leave the jobs around the house for others.
BRONCOS STAFF CHANGE
THE Broncos have farewelled a long-time employee after football manager Scot Czislowski left the club.
Czislowski has departed Red Hill following more than a decade at the NRL club.
The well-liked Czislowski did not return to the club following Christmas and was farewelled by staff on Wednesday.
Welfare manager Adam Walsh is expected to take on an expanded role following Czislowski’s departure.
GOLD COAST’S OWN
TITANS dynamo AJ Brimson never had any intention of leaving the Gold Coast.
Brimson inked a two-year contract extension to remain at the Titans until 2022 a month before teammate Jai Arrow defected to South Sydney.
Arrow and Brimson were the Titans’ two priority retention targets following last year’s wooden-spoon season, and they managed to secure the speedy fullback.
Brimson told Blindside he never seriously thought about leaving the Gold Coast despite receiving interest from Sydney clubs.
“I always had intentions of staying,” he said. “The Titans are the club that gave me an opportunity a long time ago. I love the players and staff here. It’s home for me.
“I genuinely want to see us do better and prove a lot of people wrong. It was a horrible year last year, but there was no stage where I wanted to leave.
“It has to cross your mind being a professional athlete, but I made it pretty clear to my manager that I wanted to stay at the Gold Coast.”
HEAT WANT MORE AB
THE Heat have tried to woo South African star AB de Villiers by taking him on a tour of the mighty Brisbane River.
The entire Heat squad went on a river cruise down the “brown snake” following de Villiers’ arrival in Brisbane last week.
The Heat want de Villiers to commit to playing with them next summer and are hoping he will enjoy his time in Brisbane, on and off the field.
“We took him out with the playing group and staff on a cruise up the river to see how good Brisbane is,” Heat general manager Andrew McShea said.
“There will be more of that planned to get him out and show him as much of Queensland as we can.”
BRONCOS’ BUSHFIRE APPEAL
THE Broncos have launched a huge auction to raise money for the bushfire appeal.
Signed jerseys, boots and backpacks are among the items up for grabs.
Cult hero Jake Turpin has donated a pair of signed boots, and there is even something for Cronulla fans with Jack Bird’s 2017 Auckland Nines jersey up for auction.
Got to shop.broncos.com.au/auctions/ to check out the items.
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