No guarantees have been given by Greg Inglis but Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith is convinced the South Sydney superstar will end his career in the NRL.
Inglis is expected to be the next NRL poster boy targeted by rival sports after Jarryd Hayne’s sensational decision to try his hand at NFL.
It emerged Inglis was offered more than $2 million a year by the French Rugby Union earlier this season but knocked it back because he wanted to focus on a premiership with the Rabbitohs.
Now that he has helped to break South Sydney’s 43-year title drought and seen Hayne make a bold call, there are fears Inglis might become the latest big name to abandon the NRL.
It would be a devastating blow for a code that is also reeling from the defection of Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Burgess to rugby.
And Inglis would not have eased any nerves at NRL headquarters when he spoke of his future as the Kangaroos assembled on Friday at their Four Nations camp in Brisbane.
“My future is in rugby league for now but doors are always there to be opened to see what is on the other side,” he said.
“I put everything on hold to concentrate on the ultimate goal of winning a premiership with the Bunnies.
“Now I will keep my options open.
“I would like to say I would see my career out in rugby league but who knows?”
However, Inglis – who has two years left on his South Sydney deal – vowed not to break his NRL contract to pursue other sports.
He said if lured away from league, it would be for the challenge – not money.
“I take my hat off to Jarryd. It will be sad to see him go,” Inglis said.
“People have thrown my name out there but I have never broken a contract and I don’t intend to start now.”
Smith firmly believed his Queensland and Test teammate would finish his career in the NRL.
“The bloke I know, I don’t think he will leave – he loves the game,” Smith told AAP.
“He is in a really good space at the moment.
“His wife just had a baby.
“I don’t think he is going to uproot, go to the other side of the world and play a game he has never played before.
“He loves the NRL and living in Australia – let’s hope he stays.”
Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens did not want to dwell on Hayne’s departure or the prospect of rival sports snaring the likes of Inglis.
“We have seen it with AFL, French rugby, Japanese rugby, who knows who are after them,” he said.
“But there have been some champion players not playing any more we thought we would never replace – Joey (Andrew) Johns and these sorts of people.
“But others have come in and equalled if not surpassed what the others have done.
“There is always a generation of players coming through.”
Muzz
Guest
David Voboro successfully sued Mitch Ross for $5.4 million after being banned from the NFL and labelled a drug cheat "In Vobora's case he won a $5.4 million from Ross in a St Louis Court.He had used the "ultimate Sports Spray" while believing it was Steriod free.Turns out, it contained methytestosterone, which is banned".
Muzz
Guest
belroseeagle Penalties for 2013 Souths 167 Roosters 163 Penalties for 2014 Souths 219 yes 219 not a typo! Roosters 135 Souths were the 1st team in 20 years to be awarded more than 200 penalties in a season.NEVER in the games history, have penalties been more important with the new rules and current speed of the game.Then you have Cummins at their training session 3 weeks before the Souths v Roosters prelim. Google Mitch Ross and take the time to read the articles on him.He is the guy supplying Souths with those performance sprays and is so shady.Forget the stickers their using,they are placebo and a smoke screen for the sprays.You can't even find out whats in these sprays as "apparently" there's a patent pending.The NRL haven't tested them.They have no idea what they contain.This guy wasn't even registered with the NRL and they are "supposedly" non negotiable on registrations.Anyone working with a club has to be registered. Channel 9s selective replays should be investigated by ICAC.
belroseeagle
Guest
didnt you hear ?he already did this once when he called gallop and said register my souths contract or im going to play AFL your choice . so im sure we will see another such effort to get every drop i dont really blame him or other players but the,re the show the talent without them there is no game but they sure dont get a fair share of the pie in that regard way to many hangers on with jobs for the boys thats basically free money
belroseeagle
Guest
For once i agree 100 percent muzz its sport not business if its not fair and everyone has an equal chance whats the point?change most of the rules back to black and white rules whenever possible instead of all this mistakes explained away interpretation crap and do not rely on the broadcaster to replay before you act on things and these carefully constructed comebacks to close out games how often do one team get every decsion they can get go there way for the first 30 mins then it switches for the next 30 to 40 mins before becoming sort of even again till fulltime for the thriller finish and yes i know that sounds crazy but either way crowds and tv were down overall as a total and in my opinion people(the core group)fans are feeling like the game does'not care about them and is not listening to what they want its similar to when super league started where its there but that bit of passions gone well except souths fans there falling over themselves can u say charity premiership :) hey im a manly fan and i wish david gallop was back he did a much much much better job than a banker whom looks at it as a business first sport second when it should be the other way
Muzz
Guest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgORc_DjhjY : )
Muzz
Guest
dayer - Have a read of this article by Steve Mascord with AU captain, Cameron Smith. "--------but if you've got a good enough game, there's no reason for them to think "i want a better challenge" "--------but let's look at ways to make it a product the players don't want to leave" http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/australian-captain-cameron-smith-questions-nrl-plan-for-discretionary-spending-model-20141018-1183q4.html How often did you see J Hayne arguing with the incompetent bias refs this year? It's the worlds best RL competition and we have park football standard refereeing.Why won't they fix this?
Muzz
Guest
So a competition without players like S Burgess, SBW, J Hayne will generate the same amount of revenue ? If so, why bother with the war chest? Why would Dave Smith bother paying Hayne upto 2 million a season if it has no effect on the bottom line? If LESS people are watching a FTA Parra vs Roosters games without 2 of the games biggest stars, can Channel 9 charge the same rate for advertising? Can the NRL charge the same amount for advertising if there are less clicks on their web-site? Will Parra sell the same amount of merchandise of which the NRL get a licensing %? I thought you were a banker? and money was your thang! Mate, i'm aware of the first and last rights agreement, iv'e read it in your posts about 300 times. I probably spend 30 plus hours a week on NRL related stuff as i love the game.This is why i bothered posting the above. Because i care.Sport should be about fairness first, may the best team win not what's best for Channel 9's and the NRL's bottom line. And spare me your UFO garbage
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I thought they already had Storm Boy,judging by their (league media)contributions over the last couple of years.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
You still haven't explained how it will have an effect on the NRL's bottom line,as the Tv deal is set in stone til 2017 inclusive. Not arguing the scheduling where 9 who pays the money gets the pick. Please!! "we get to pick who wins the comp",your argument lost any credibility with that sort of view.If anything ch9 would have wanted the Broncos to be at the g/F with their opponents either Rabbitohs/Eels/Storm/West Tigers/Bulldogs. Nothing to do perhaps with ref errors or player errors sheesh. Oh and thanks for getting rid of the F& L rights arrangement,9 and fox are thrilled LOL. Pilot to control,we have another UFO packed with conspiracy theories to report.
Gee up
Guest
Let me guess, another jilted rooster supporter?? You guys are pathetic, you got bashed in the final the nrl didn't decide that!! #letitgo
Bondy
Guest
Gee thats serious coin for GI in French Rugby, apparently the lower tier salaries to the EPL are $ 2-3 mill per annum....
Storm Boy
Guest
ok now these Inglis stories have done their job can the NRL now pay him overs to stay in NRL. Isn't that how it works now? Threaten to leave NRL to get some media stories about it, show that NRL is dying game that can't keep its stars and is being overrun by other codes, then the NRL reaches into its sooper dooper account to save our NRL star leaving. Simples.
Muzz
Guest
NRL - We wan't 1 billion dollars. Channel 9 - Okay, but we get to pick who wins the comp, who gets the FTA games.There will be no HD and only 1 live game a round.Oh and there will be plenty of bias commentary, selective replays to suit our agenda, cross promotion, sportsbet will become a household name and we need to make the GF 1 big giant fan day for 1 team only. NRL - Thats sounds reasonable but could you please avoid back to back premierships, we have a "share the trophy program" to keep everyone interested as unlimited TPA's tend to favour clubs like Bunnies, Roosters, Broncos, Dogs, Channel 9 - Sure no probs but we may need some assistance with some really interesting refereeing. NRL - Leave it to us, Happy to do business with you.
jamesb
Guest
Predictable article regarding Inglis. Let's not forget in the early 2000's, Mundine, Lote, Rogers and Sailor left the code.
Storm Boy
Guest
The best thing for rugby league would be if most of the league media switched codes.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
GI will be 29 when his contract is up, it would be highly unlikely he switched codes at that age.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
He was about to become the highest paid player in the NRL, if he wanted the big bucks he would have stayed. He is going to the NFL with no assurances at all. If he does the unthinkable and makes a squad then it will be for the minimum which is about $ 400,000 or thereabouts. He would then have to play a lights out season to get paid which again really is stacked against him. The other point to consider is NFL contracts are only partially guaranteed.
chris n
Guest
don't agree with last paragraph of article I don't think there is anyone come through as good as Andrew johns
david webb
Guest
Greg inglis is the most overated player ever he does one decent think every 4 games
Jordan
Guest
What more than money could possibly keep them there? Hayne has clearly gone chasing the big bucks, as does sonny bill and many others.