Charge threat to Inglis dreams

GREG Inglis may never captain Australia after Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga admitted the skipper duties were Boyd Cordner’s to lose.

Inglis’ 24-hour reign as Kangaroos captain ended on Tuesday after he was suspended for Australia’s upcoming two Tests for allegedly drink-driving.

The suspension means Inglis could go up to three years without playing a Test match after the Queensland Origin captain missed last year’s World Cup with a knee injury.

Inglis’ 39th and most recent appearance for the Kangaroos was in November 2016 during the Four Nations in England.

If Australia does not play a mid-year Test in 2019, Inglis will be approaching 33 when the end-of-year tours roll around.

Meninga, in Brisbane with the Prime Minister’s XIII, said he could not guarantee Inglis would be appointed captain next year. “It’s hard to say,” he said. “I want to see Greg have a really strong off-season and start the year well for the Rabbitohs. He’ll lead Queensland next year and then we’ll make some decisions at the back end of next year about who our leaders and captain will be.

“We’ll make those judgments at the back end of next year. It’s a maybe.

“I’ve got great admiration for Greg. I highly respect him and love him dearly.

“He was really excited about the role, to be the first (full-time) indigenous captain since Arthur Beetson.

“He’s really disappointed in himself. But the true character of him, he’s taken it on the chin and admitted he’s wrong.”

Cordner, 26, is in the peak of his career, having captained NSW to a breakthrough Origin series win this year before leading the Roosters to the NRL premiership.

The hard-running backrower shapes as a long-term successor to Cameron Smith in the captaincy role if he can impress throughout the upcoming Tests against the Kiwis and Tonga in New Zealand.

“It’s great that Boyd Cordner gets the opportunity to captain his country, he’s had a terrific year and is a great role model and leader for our game,” Meninga said.

“Boyd was always going to be a leader in our team. There is no greater accolade than having the ‘c’ beside your name with a green and gold jersey on.”

HE’S REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN HIMSELF. BUT THE TRUE CHARACTER OF HIM, HE’S TAKEN IT ON THE CHIN AND ADMITTED HE’S WRONG MAL MENINGA ON GREG INGLIS