Representative winger Corey Oates will make his first appearance of the year in Brisbane’s trial against Gold Coast after a pre-season disrupted by a serious infection.

The 25-year-old lost six kilos and spent nine days in hospital on a drip after Christmas when a cut on his leg led to a recurrence of a staph infection he’d endured two years ago.

“If you’d asked me a few weeks ago whether I’d get back to top form I would have said no because I’d never felt so weak, slow and unfit in my life,” Oates wrote on the club’s website.

“I found it so tough to run, do gym and I felt as though I had no speed.”

The Queensland State of Origin player will start on the wing in Saturday’s trial at Redcliffe against the Titans.

In other changes from the team which faced North Queensland in Cairns last week, Darius Boyd comes in after being rested with Jesse Arthars dropping back to the bench in an extended 26-man squad.

Tom Flegler will start at prop and Tevita Pangai will play in the second row, with captain Alex Glenn (hamstring) rested until the first round of the NRL season.

David Fifita will play on the other edge after turning out for the Inidigenous All Stars team last Saturday.