'That hurt us a fair bit': Corey Oates opens up on 'shock' Kodi Nikorima exit

Brisbane try-scorer Corey Oates admits the Broncos were "hurt" by the "shock" departure of Kodi Nikorima but backs Magic Round as the time and place for coach Anthony Seibold to turn around a week of woe.

If the snap departure of arguably their best performer, off the back of the Broncos' worst start of the century, wasn't enough for the NRL giants, then the loss of stalwart Andrew McCullough in a freak training ground accident would be enough to coax a tear from even the most hardened Broncos fan.

A 32-point shellacking last round at the hands of former long-time coach Wayne Bennett, now flourishing with South Sydney, compounded their trouble and saw Seibold demote James Roberts and Jamayne Isaako to reserves, demanding more from his stars.

While Oates conceded he and his teammates have been blindsided by the week of upheaval he remained positive NRL's Magic Round was the time and place for his maligned squad to turn it around.

"There’s a fair bit going on, Kodi leaving and the shock injury of Andrew McCullough the other day, so it’s been a bit of a tough couple of weeks and I think that hurt us a fair bit," Oates told Macca's Thursday Night Golden Point.

"I think it was a bit of a shock when Kodi left and we had Tommy Dearden coming in late week so that might have hurt the boys a bit.

"But this week we’re just trying to be really positive, we’ve still got to turn the season around at some stage and this is a great weekend to do that We’ll hope for a bit of magic tomorrow."

While Oates admitted Roberts and Isaako's relegation from the starting side caught the squad off guard he believed it was a healthy reminder to the rest of the playing group to pull their socks up.

"I was a little bit surprised," he said. "I think it’s more shock.

"It’s not so often that people get dropped just like that, especially the calibre of James and Jamayne.

"Look it’s just the way it goes, it just part of the game and I think it’s a bit of a kick up the bum for all of us really."

Despite the torrent of Scrutiny that has flowed Seibold's way Oates admired the 2018 Dally M wining coaches mentality and belief in turning Brisbane's season around.

"I think he does a really good job to handle all the pressure," Oates said.

"You’re in the media a lot more up here and you cop everything, even when we’re going well you just cop something but I think he’s doing a pretty good job with everything away from football and with the team.

"I’m still backing everything he does and the way he’s going this year, He still speaks really positive about everything.

"If we can go in tomorrow, everyone’s really positive and we can play our football. We’ve just got to get behind tom and Milford and just back up what they call."

The Broncos will clash with Manly at on Friday night at 8pm.