Brisbane winger Corey Oates admits he let his State of Origin game one snub affect his NRL form but is now more determined than ever to regain his Queensland spot.
Oates appears down the pecking order behind incumbent Maroons flyers Dane Gagai and Valentine Holmes ahead of June 24’s game two in Sydney, but the lanky Broncos flyer says being brushed for Queensland’s Origin I loss has “lit a fire in my belly”.
“I didn’t get anything (phone call from coach Kevin Walters). It lit a fire in my belly and I might have let it get to me too much but this week I will be clearing my mind and offering a lot more,” Oates said ahead of Saturday night’s NRL clash with Cronulla.