It gets worse for Inglis
Return to the captaincy’s a maybe: Mal
GREG Inglis might never captain Australia after Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga admitted the skipper duties were Boyd Cordner’s to lose.
Inglis’s 28-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’s 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 ... 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 (fulltime) 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 at the peak of his career, having captained NSW to a breakthrough State of 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 in the upcoming Tests against the Kiwis and Tonga.
“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.
“It’s a natural progression for him ... he was excited when I told him about the decision. He was disappointed for Greg as well because they get on so well. “He is a comrade in arms. “He would have loved Greg to be playing, but he’s accepted it and we know he’s going to do a terrific job.”
Meninga said the Kangaroos did not condone Inglis’s alleged misdemeanours after introducing behavioural standards.
“It is a criminal offence,” he said. “He genuinely thought he was sober getting behind the wheel.
“It’s a good lesson for everyone. Greg has learnt the lesson the hard way.”