Brisbane Broncos winger and all-round rugby league icon Corey Oates has announced his retirement from rugby league, during an exclusive chat on KIIS 97.3’s Robin & Kip this morning.
Hear the full chat with Corey on the Robin & Kip podcast here:
With a career spanning over a decade, Oates reflected on his journey, the physical toll of the game, and his plans for the future.
“It’s a hard one,” Oates said as he broke the news, sharing that the decision has been in the works for some time.
“I’ve known for a little while, but to actually get to the day… it’s probably a bit more emotional and harder than I expected.”
He confessed the strain of recent injuries had made it challenging to keep up, describing his body’s wear and tear over the past 18 months: “I was just in that much pain with my legs and my knees… but I just always knew what I had to do to get myself ready for a game every week.”
Oates also spoke about his desire to be more present for his family, mentioning his two kids, Monty and Hawks. “If I keep playing and keep abusing my body the way I do, I don’t know how much I’ll be able to be there for them in the future,” he explained.
Reflecting on his career, Corey “to get to 216 games for the Broncos… it’s something I never thought was possible.”
