effnic said:
If its not broken why fix it. Inglis will probably be good in any position but i still think its a bad move.
It is broke, we lost our 5/8 and we don't have one so we need to fix it.
Here's an article from today's Herald Sun on the move:
Greg Inglis tackles new role
Dave Donaghy
January 31, 2007 12:00am
Storm sensation Greg Inglis has vowed to maintain his fearless attack in 2007, despite a shock switch into a playmaking role for pre-season trials.
The NRL's most dangerous weapon with the ball, Inglis, 20, will be shifted to five-eighth for next month's trials, despite having never played the position before. Speaking yesterday for the first time about the switch, Inglis said a move to the vacant No. 6 jersey had been on the cards since last season's painful grand final loss to the Brisbane Broncos. "We sat down at the end of last season and talked about not seeing enough ball," Inglis said. "It was the one area we wanted to fix up."
The decision by Storm coach Craig Bellamy to move Inglis closer to the ruck received an overwhelming thumbs-up from league greats Brad Fittler and Gene Miles.
Miles, a Queensland State-of-Origin selector, said the prospect of Inglis dictating terms in attack was a scary one for opposition teams. "If he can be more dangerous than he was last season, it spells a lot of trouble for the opposition," Miles said. "He's got that X-factor about him."
Former five-eighth Fittler, who played 336 first-grade games for Penrith and the Roosters, said Inglis would be an instant success. "Age is no barrier for kids these days," he said. "He's talented enough to do anything and big enough to hold his own in defence." Fittler downplayed concerns the additional defensive workload associated with playing closer to the ruck would stifle Inglis's attacking prowess.
The former Australian Test skipper also backed Inglis to maintain representative status, despite now occupying the same position as Broncos star Darren Lockyer.
"Selectors have shown in the past that when it comes to rep teams, it's pick the best players, and they've seen what he can do on the wing or in the centres," Fittler said.
Queensland chairman of selectors Des Morris said Inglis's switch would have no bearing on his Origin chances and could work to bolster the Maroons' halves stocks. "He's a player who can play four positions, so it won't make much difference," Morris said.
"It certainly won't affect his chances of playing for Queensland."
Inglis trained at five-eighth yesterday for the first time since sustaining concussion in a freak training mishap a fortnight ago. Inglis was knocked out when struck in the back of the head by a boxing bag frame in the club's weights room during a cardio session.
Bellamy said the enforced lay-off had been a frustrating one, with Inglis's playmaker education now behind schedule.
Inglis will be rotated with off-season recruit Russell Aitken during the trials in the search to find a permanent replacement for Scott Hill. "We'll give him a go in the trials, but there's another kid there, Russell Aitken, and he's really impressive, so we'll see what happens," Bellamy said. "Matt Geyer's also played (five-eighth) in a grand final, so if those guys don't work out there we can always play him there."
Inglis, who has played one State-of-Origin game for Queensland and five Tests for Australia, said his only experience in a playmaker role was during his schoolboy rugby union days. He backed himself to adopt more of a running role alongside key organiser Cooper Cronk.
Australian selector Bob McCarthy said he was concerned that Inglis's attacking ability could be stifled by playing too close to the ruck. "It's a lot harder to make breaks in the ruck," McCarthy said. "(But) Craig's a pretty smart operator. He must have something in his mind there.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21145536-14823,00.html
