Corey Oates burns Souths again with match-winning hat-trick

Corey Oates has extended his impressive scoring record against the Rabbitohs with another three tries in the Broncos’ season-saving win on Thursday night.

Brisbane defeated South Sydney 38-18 at Suncorp Stadium to move one step closer to booking their spot in the finals.

Oates scored almost identical tries down the left wing in the first half as Darius Boyd sent passes beyond left centre Jordan Kahu for the winger to score.

The Broncos coughed up their 18-0 lead to see the visitors level it up in the second half, but it was Oates’ third try of the night that put the Broncos back in front for good.

The big winger leapt through three nearby defenders to pluck a ball out of the air and dive the final five metres to score.

He has now scored 11 tries in his last seven games against South Sydney.

Does he really want to be a forward?

Oates did knock the ball on with seven minutes left in the game to give the Rabbitohs a full set in good field position but the Broncos avoided letting them in for a score.

Kodi Nikorima scored an intercept try in the 78th minute for an extra boost in the points differential.

The victory, which came after another week of speculation surrounding Wayne Bennett’s future, was his 400th as Brisbane coach across his two stints at the club and ensures Wests Tigers can’t leap the team into eighth spot this weekend.