Greg Inglis won’t be moved from centre anytime soon — but Souths need him to deliver more on the field, says coach
GREG Inglis switched from fullback after injury wiped out last season but the move is already presenting issues for South Sydney coach Anthony Seibold.
Staff writers
FOX SPORTSMARCH 17, 20189:32AM
Progress: 0%
Bunnies will target Cleary
In his place, Alex Johnston has taken over the No.1 jersey but — while proving himself to be an exceptional winger — the try-scoring freak is yet to set the world on fire at fullback.
The Rabbitohs opened the season with a disappointing 32-20 defeat to the Warriors, with Inglis mostly kept quiet.
But Seibold backed his Queensland and Australia star to make an impact in the centres, and said he was in no rush to hand the No.1 jersey back to Inglis — despite admitting that’s where he plays his best football.
“His best position is fullback, there’s no denying that. But he’s showed at Origin level and international level that he’s also a world-class centre,” Seibold said.
“We’re going to persist with Greg at left centre this week, at some stage over the next couple of weeks when physically we think Greg’s ready and mentally when he suggests that he’s ready then we will look to make a change there but we’ve got great confidence in Alex Johnston to do the job in the meantime.
“We’d like to see a little bit more ball in his hands, I think he only had six or seven carries (in round one) so one of the challenges I’ve given to Greg is we want him to get more involved.”
Greg Inglis is on the comeback trail from an ACL injury.Source:AAP
Former Balmain Tigers great Benny Elias believes the Inglis and the Rabbitohs will return to their best form against Penrith in their round two clash on Saturday.
But he agrees that Inglis needs to lift his game in order for the team to find their feet under Seibold.
“GI has to take charge. He is their captain, he is their leader,” Elias told Fox Sports News.
“They realise (after) last week’s defeat, they need to bounce back and bounce back very quickly. He needs to take charge. He’s the dominant player.”
Seibold said Inglis, who tore his ACL in round one against the Wests Tigers last year, was ahead of schedule in his comeback from the devastating injury.
“You have to understand that Greg only started back with the full group in mid-January so it’s been a limited amount of time that he’s actually been back in full training and then it’s only been a shorter period of time where he’s been in full contact,” he said.
“He’s made giant steps, if you would of asked me in January 3rd or 4th would Greg of played Charity Shield or round one I would have said no.
“He’s done a particularly good job over the last 6-8 weeks and the performance staff have done a good job just to get him back in the side, to get his confidence back and we will see more improvement from Greg as the weeks go on.”
