Yes, yes Greg Inglis has been childish and selfish. We have all heard the banter surrounding his claims earlier in the week. However, the competition will be of a higher quality for having a player with his talent in it.
It also bodes better for the opposition that he did not end up playing his football for the Brisbane Broncos, and the Broncos should be praised for the way in which they handled the situation.
The real winners out of this however, are the Melbourne Storm.
Yes, is is an odd thing to hear but think of it this way: the Storm and the Broncos are sort of like cousins that don’t really get along; they visit each other at their houses once or twice a year and usually it ends with someone boasting bragging rights.
Quite simply, the Broncos would have had (and no doubt probably still have) the Storm in their sights as a team to beat.
Having Inglis in their side would have made the Broncos almost unbeatable, and with a side carrying what is now a great mixture of youth and experience, would have surely made it beyond the second week of the finals.
The question really is now, do the Rabbitohs finally have the game-breaker they need to make the finals and go further?
mick h
Guest
storms pack to choose from next year blair, smith ,norrie, woolough, manu,proctor,lowrie,hinchcliffe ,anderson, thompson and jaimon lowe thats a pretty impressive list and bellamy has a habit in bringing out the best in other clubs rejects.
Mark Young
Guest
Backs win you matches, Packs win you flags… Ain't that the truth!! I know that these are tough decisions but surely the Storm could have let Slater go, promote Widdop, and kept Hoffman, White and Lima, three rep players? Agree with you that they will be squeaky clean next year. Gauci has been very impressive so far and he will have you in good shape. Can you imagine though, trying to convince people that you were clean... with the four big players still on the books? That would be a tough job. Have a good one Danny Mac and for your sake and mine, I hope nine loses league!
Danny_Mac
Roar Guru
The Storm set out with a plan to keep the players you've mentioned. This included losing two NSW/Australian forwards (White, Hoffman) and a Kiwi international forward (Lima) and the highly rated Tolman. They have absolutely decimated their forward pack to try and keep the all-star back line. It is the pack that gives your backs the space and time to be thier devestating best. It isn't one or the other, it is a combination of the two. Backs win you matches, Packs win you flags... As for the suss statement, if there is one club that will be absolutely squeaky clean next year, it will be the Storm!
Danny_Mac
Roar Guru
Hmmm... I hope that your tongue is firmly in your cheek! Surely if this was the prevailing mindset then you'd want him to be in a frontier market to grow the game, such as, lets say, Melbourne? I completely disagree with the "At least he stayed in the NRL" sentiment. This is how you justify salary cap roarting. Frankly if the game doesn't have the money to pay the Greg Inglis' of this world, then we are going to have to live with the fact that RL will decline realative to the other games. Otherwise we are going to have to diversify the game's income, attract new money to raise the players wages and be competative with the AFL and RU/European Club Rugby (E.C.R.) As much as I want to say that we have too many teams, the reality is that less isn't always more, less teams means fewer games per week which means the TV product is worth less. More teams means higher overheads and the gains in TV revenue are swallowed up there. We need to find a way to maximise the "per unit" (or in this case, game) value of R.L.
Karlos
Guest
Yes, I thinnk The Storm are winners out of this as are Rabbitohs. Storm can concentrate on a few of their up and comers and pay others a little more.
Mark Young
Guest
You are spot on, the answer for Souths is stability in the halves, not in the backs. On the other hand, it is good news for Melbourne since they would have looked pretty suss coming back into the reckoning next year with Billy, GI, Cam Smith and the Cronk all still running around. They needed to at least lose someone.
Timnaik
Guest
Josh. For mine Inglis is not the answer for Souths, well not the complete answer anyway. Yes he will add a potency to the three-quarters that Colin Best was unable to generate but the real problem is in the halves. I just don't think Sandow is seasoned enough or has the ability (yet) to take the Bunnies deep into the play-offs. If I could trade Inglis for another Storm player I would've picked Cooper Cronk in a heart beat. Now there is a premiership winning No.7.
M1tch
Roar Guru
As long as he is in the NRL who cares where he plays and how they got him!
Nick the second
Guest
Rabbits have some the most exciting game players in the comp ... Inglis will just add to the electric mix.
Sports Writer
Guest
Inglis is definitely a good player, but to say Broncos would be unbeatable with him in the team is a slight exaggeration. Yeah he's good, but in the last couple of years he hasn't been the difference for the Storm in too many games. I understand any team would love to have him in the squad but if South Sydney (or Brisbane) really believe he will win them a premiership Russell is kidding himself
lopati
Guest
But will he help the Rabbits? For a long time have been a team that couldn't make the cut - no wooden spooners but can't crack the top 8 which leaves them in the lower 50% of the comp. Every year the fans think it will be their year based on a handfull of freakish performances (often around origin time), but that soon ends and are always left relying on better teams to fail to get their chance - it's no winning culture. - I reckon this year will be no different As to players: the bunnies take on a couple of good and developing players each year, but once there they never improve any further and in subsequent years will even fade if they don't get back out. Bunnies are, and it seems always destined to be, one of those teams that's there just to make up the numbers, and their games are never worth watching either.
Danny_Mac
Roar Guru
It will also see how Inglis copes with the intense spotlight cast on him in either Sydney or Brisbane. "The quiet life" is one of the appeals of playing for and living in Melbourne. His private life will no longer be private, and there will be more people trying to have a lend of him...
Willy
Guest
"Having Inglis in their side would have made the Broncos almost unbeatable, and with a side carrying what is now a great mixture of youth and experience, would have surely made it beyond the second week of the finals." Garbage. The Broncos will be a fringe Top 8 team with or without Inglis. If they cop an injury in the halves, then it'll be Broncos v Cowboys for the 2011 Wooden Spoon.
Stormybill
Guest
Still can't see how the Storm are winners in this.The broncos could have had him when he was unknown,Storm developed a nobody into one of the best, forced to unload him because of cap issues still can't see a win.maybe the second string players we got to resign will come good and GI's loss will be offset a few years done the track.But now I see a win! The past few weeks have shown the the true character of the man so good luck to souths with him. So Josh it looks like you are right Storm are the winners as far as GI is concerned.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Trouble is now in all sports money speaks the loudest,and apparently Rusty spoke with the loudest mouth.
The Link
Guest
If you can believe the reports then Inglis has sucker punched the Broncs. Another player walks out on a club with A Mundine wispering in his ear. Yeah right GI, you've just gotta look after yourself and wait for it...... your family. If this is what it takes RL to keep players is it worth the cost?
Gaz
Guest
Comes down to attitude. On the surface it appears he might not have had the right attitude if he stayed with the Broncos. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.