Greg Inglis’s retirement from the NRL brings one of the competition’s most illustrious careers to a close. But just how good was he?
While the former South Sydney and Melbourne star will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame, questions loom over whether he will ever fulfil the ‘future Immortal’ tag some have bestowed on him.
Appearing on the inaugural episode of the Game of Codes podcast on Tuesday, Roar NRL Expert Tim Gore and Editor Daniel Jeffrey made it clear they don’t quite meet eye to eye on whether the 263-gamer deserves the league’s highest honour, with the former contending there’s only one current player worthy of the accolade, and it’s not Inglis.
Listen to the debate
After a 14-year career in rugby league’s top flight, Inglis bows out of the game with 149 NRL tries to his name and three grand final victories – two with Melbourne and one with South Sydney – as well as 32 Origins for Queensland and 39 Tests in the green and gold of the Kangaroos.
As for individual accolades, Inglis has plenty of them. A Wally Lewis Medallist and two-time Dally M representative player of the year, he was also named fullback of the year and five-eighth of the year on separate occasions.
But is that enough to see him handed rugby league’s highest honour? Listen to the debate on Game of Codes and then have your say in the comments below.
Listen to the full episode below and subscribe to Game of Codes on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio or wherever else you get your podcasts.
mushi
Roar Guru
Yep same guys that came up with the immortals. So if you think anything they come up with is laughable… why are you even commenting on the topic.
The Spectator
Roar Guru
Prob no, not the best centre or fullback of his generation.
Dayer
Roar Rookie
how can you have a peptide user on your list. players should be 100% drug free. what a joke. Locker should be first or second.
Dayer
Roar Rookie
RLW lol are you serious RLW
Dayer
Roar Rookie
he wasn't good enough to to be in the first 13 ,that's why. stop blaming the selectors. Johns is a excellent player but i think he is a overrated immortal. why was he made a immortal over Mal Meninga. Maybe its a NSW thing
Rob
Guest
PS. Chris, Kenny and Lewis played against each other 24 times during their careers. Lewis was the victor on 14 of those occasions. 58-42% to the King. Being pivotal playmakers against each other Lewis’s mates scored a lot more than Bert’s.
Carlos
Guest
Inglis, Slater, Cronk and Smith are all amazing players but I believe their records are somewhat tarnished by the Storm salary cap drama. So much of their record is based on them being in a team that had an unfair advantage* over other teams. I'd rather see Thurston as the next immortal. Lockyer and all those Storm players never played in anything other than all star teams. Thurston basically carried the Cowboys for years. He's probably the most influential player on a game I've ever seen. If I was picking a team to play for my life. Hands down he would be the first player I'd pick . I'd pick him over Johns, Lewis, Mortimer, Sticky or even as a Parra fan... Stirling. *ie them + all the other internationals being in that one team. Imo this also played out to QLD and Australia's advantage.
Nick
Roar Guru
Similar, not the same. Beaver played a bucket load more games too. But, I take your point... Menzies is a man that doesn't get the respect he deserves. Most tries by a forward is a big deal.
Rob
Guest
Mcgraw, McGregor, Miles and Choppy.
Rob
Guest
Yes. JT had his flaws. But he was tougher and more durable than Joey. JT is certainly one of the best clutch players I’ve ever seen. I only remember JT missing one winning moment in his career, hitting the 2015 goal post after the siren. He had a bad game. He got the 2nd moment nailing the field goal.
Rob
Guest
Well that’s a discussion you can have. 60-40% to Bert. 83-17% to Toovey. I never said Toovey was better than Johns. I said “head to head” that 5 other Rep half backs had been dominant against Joey when he played him. JT is 50-50 against Joe. The Knights were not a bunch of nobodies as they won the Comp and their side had plenty of Rep players. They also had plenty of juice on board during his reign also.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Beaver Menzies was a similar build to inglis wasn’t he? Maybe not as tall but scored a bucket load more tries.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Sterling?
Chris Love
Roar Guru
You are joking right? Both of inglis’ feet left the ground during the hit. One had already left the ground before he made contact. His whole body was moving upwards. One of the worst high shots I’ve seen.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I’d have Cronk at the very top of that list. Got none of the kudos compared to Smith and Slarer during those dominant years.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
And he could actually tackle. Never saw him defending on the wing like Thurston many times.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Brett Kenny faced off against Lewis in 10 Origins and won 6 of them. Does that make him better?
Rob
Guest
You’re sarcasm indicates that you are devoid of facts to back up your opinion. I said “head to head” that’s when a player is more successful against the other. He was very successful in an era of average playmakers. In his prime he got shown up by Alf at 35. You have stated Johns was better than everyone in a 3-5 year period because RLW gave him the prize. Check the RLW awards and you find it’s very blue in its criteria during Andrew time. Hell Hindmarsh was the best player in the country for 2 years straight. Lewis, Lockyer, Cronk and Smith have never been a winner of the Prestigious RLW award so they’re no chance of being immortals ahead of Hindy on your analysis. Who was better than InglisI? I’d say Inglis was equally or more successful and just as influential over a similar period against his opponents.
Rob
Guest
Toovey played Johns 6 times. Toovey was the winner on 5 occasions? It’s possibly why Toovey was chosen before Joe?
stevesyd
Roar Rookie
Going by career stats and achievements if Mal Meninga is an immortal then GI is an obvious inclusion.