Inglis - is he ready?

[Dakink]

Inglis ready for Origin
By Steve Mascord
April 20, 2006

SENIOR Melbourne forward Michael Crocker yesterday contradicted coach Craig Bellamy, insisting teen Greg Inglis was ready for the step up to State of Origin football.

And Inglis who yesterday met Maroons coach Mal Meninga for the first time when Origin III on July 5 at Telstra Dome was launched in Melbourne - insisted: "If you're good enough, you're old enough. I believe that."

While Bellamy insisted, after Inglis scored three tries in seven minutes against Penrith on Saturday night, that it was too early for him to be called up by Queensland, Crocker thought otherwise when asked about one of the game's hottest topics.

"I think he's ready. In the past few weeks he's really stepped up another level.

"He played against Ryan Cross and Sia Soliola - they are two of the best centres in the comp - and he handled them well.

"Wherever they put him, he'll do a good job.

Crocker made some of those comments on stage at Telstra Dome's Medallion Room and Inglis, standing a couple of metres away, was visibly taken aback.

"He's a very experienced player and for him to say that there is pretty intriguing," the Kempsey-born 19-year-old said.

"I'm pretty happy with the way I've been going. I'm only going to get better. If I get selected, I will be ready. Most people say I'm not ready because of my age. If you're old enough you're good enough. I really believe that."

Meninga revealed that Steve Bell and Justin Hodges had the inside running for centre spots, while Brent Tate and Matt Sing's experience had given them an edge on the wings.

Tate is still out with an achilles strain but "would come straight into the side - I've got a high regard for Brent," Meninga said.

Inglis "is right up there", according to the new Maroons coach.

"There could be a position on the wing for him."

Around 25,000 tickets are understood to have already been sold for the first Origin to be played outside NSW and Queensland in 10 years.

The Daily Telegraph

Is Inglis ready for the step up?

[Super Cronk]

Well...i say no, but i think he will be able to handle the actual game but i think the pressure to early on wont be so good for him in the long run. I think give him one more year then choose him.

[Queenslander]

Im answered "unsure" mainly because he just needs more time to develop, he is an amazing player now. So therefore over time he should be even better :happy:

[Old Diehard]

Yeh definitely - and plays into many position in backline to be left out. Slip him out on the wing but bring him in field in attack because his support play is excellent.
Any high balls out wide by NSW to his side will as safe as the Pommie bank.
And last year - this was a big problem with Matt King out jumping the littler Queensland wings.
At 19 years of age- he's ready. Actually I thought was good enough after I saw him score that try against Wynnum Manly? in his first Qld Cup game.( He was a Schoolboy then) Took the ball 10m out from Norths tryline and not 1 of about 5 players could stop him. Same in the game against Redcliffe at Dolphin Oval last year from about 30m out.
Some players are just gifted- I don't think many people agrued against having Fitler in NSW as a teenager out of Penrith (who also played NRL as a schoolboy!)and he became a legend.
Greg Inglis has legend written all over him!!!

[Eel 33]

IMO further proof is needed that he can handle the big teams in the big games. Finals situations are as close to Origin as you can get without going to origin. I said no. In another 12 months i think he'd be right.

[Luke]

IMO i dont think he is ready for Origin give him another year in the NRL to develope.

[DeeGan]

To use the cliche so often chucked around with young players when talking rep honors - "If you good enough, your old enough". This applies to Greg Inglis.

I would have him on one wing, the same as Matt King did for NSW in 2005 with great success. He is big, fast, strong and has that little something about him that tells you he is going to possibly a great one. The best thing about it is he is in Melbourne where the media cannot build him into something he is not thus taking away outside pressure from a journo looking for a story.

[Steelers]

He is ready... plain and simple

[..::Coops::..]

i think if he was chosen he would do a great job and all, but if I was selecting i probably wouldn't have him this year ahead of players like sing and tate cos of their experience. but in saying that, sing is ndecided on rep footy and tate - well he hasn't even played this year, so i'd give him a run.

does that make sense?

[The Original Idiot]

Age is overrated. If Queensland don't play Inglis, it will be a waste. He is the form centre of the comp at the moment. God I wish he hadn't dumped NSW...