Oakes started playing rugby league for King Cross Park Junior R.L.F.C., at only just 6-years-old. He played at King Cross Park until he was 13-years-old. He played every position possible whilst there and he won the 'Player of the Year' and 'Players' Player of the Year' Awards six-times each. At the age of 13, Oakes decided that he wanted to step-up to the top division of the Yorkshire League and he then moved to the Eastmoor Dragons. During his time at Eastmoor he won several individual accolades including the 'Players' Player' and 'Man of Steel' Awards. He played mostly at for Eastmoor and he was the top-scorer each season he spent there. Oakes even scored 9 tries in a Yorkshire Cup quarter-final against Dewbury Moor. At 14-years-old, Oakes was scouted into the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats' Scholarship Academy, this is where he began playing on the. He 'hit the ground running' and he was selected to play at under-16's level in his first year. He scored a myriad of tries and he showed that he was an established goal-kicker. He also finished the season as top scorer and he also won the 'Players' Player of the Year' Award. In his second year with the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats' Scholarship Academy, he experienced the same success as he did in his first year and Oakes regularly scored hat-tricks. The Wakefield Trinity Wildcats' Scholarship Academy subsequently went the season unbeaten that year. This success culminated in Will Oakes being selected in the England YouthRugby League Team, he represented England in tests against France that year. At the end of his Wakefield Trinity Wildcats' Scholarship, he was offered full-timeprofessional contracts with no fewer than nine Super League clubs.
Playing positions
He primarily plays on the, but he can also play as a.
Oakes decided that he liked the vision that Hull Kingston Rovers offered him, Oakes then decided that he would join them on a first-team contract at only just the age of 16. Oakes played for the City of Hull Academy in their inaugural year. He again showed that he was a lethal finisher and he finished the season as top points scorer, even though he missed half of the season due to international commitments. He was also called up to the Hull Kingston Rovers' first-team, where he enjoyed his début on 28 March 2016, the game against the Wigan Warriors ended in a 16-30 defeat at the DW Stadium. Oakes enjoyed his début for Hull Kingston Rovers the month after his seventeenth birthday. He was in and around the first-team several times, but this was to be his only first-grade appearance in the 2016 rugby league season. Oakes suffered relegation from the Super League with Hull Kingston Rovers in the 2016 season, due to losing the Million Pound Game by the Salford Red Devils.
2017
12-months later however, Oakes was part of the Hull Kingston Rovers' side that won promotion back to the Super League, at the first time of asking following relegation the season prior.
2018
It was revealed on 2 May 2018, that Oakes had signed a deal to keep him at Hull Kingston Rovers, until at least the end of the 2021 rugby league season.
Dual Registration (2018)
2018
In 2018, Oakes made multiple appearances for the York City Knights from his parent-club Hull Kingston Rovers as part of a dual registration agreement.
York City Knights (Loan)
2019
It was announced on 23 May 2019, that Oakes had joined the York City Knights on a one month loan deal with fellow Hull Kingston Rovers' teammate, Taioalo Vaivai.
