Phil Rothfield: Not every great gets a fairytale ending

Greg Inglis was one of the greats of the modern era who destroyed opponents with his speed and power but his career will not have the ending it may have deserved, writes Phil Rothfield.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - MAY 26: Greg Inglis of the Rabbitohs reacts during the round 12 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Mt Smart Stadium on May 26, 2018 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

• Inglis: I knew my time was up
• Inglis ready to sacrifice $1.5m in early exit

Greg Inglis was the best ever New South Welshman to play for Queensland.

Anyone born, bred and raised at Macksville on the mid North Coast should have worn a Blues jersey.

But GI wouldn’t have a bar of it.

As a child he was a massive fan of Arthur Beetson, the immortal who put State of Origin on the map at Lang Park back in 1980.

Greg Inglis’s body has finally given up on him. Picture: AAP Image/Hamish Blair

It was only that he signed with Melbourne and was sent to Brisbane’s Wavell Sports High School to play for Storm’s feeder club he had the choice of wearing a Maroons jersey.

“Look, no doubt I was born in NSW and played all my junior league for NSW,” he said on Fox Sports’ Queenslanders Only in 2017.

“The camaraderie that Queensland had, I just decided I’m ticking the QLD box on the piece of paper we had to sign.”

And wasn’t it a blow for the NSW Blues.

Greg Inglis says he is going to miss the banter at training the most. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Such was his greatness, it’s doubtful the Maroons would have won eight years in a row without the champion centre or fullback.

He was that good. As big and powerful as Mal Meninga yet as sharp as any of the great centres of the modern era.

And so close to being an Immortal.

Greg Inglis as a young star at Norths Devils back in 2005. Pic: Annette Dew

Sadly, not everyone gets the fairytale exit.

He has battled depression and alcohol issues.

He was named Kangaroos captain last year but sacked for drink driving and speeding.

He separated from his wife and children.

The injuries and broken body could no longer cope with the extraordinary physical demands of NRL football.

Yet he will be remembered as one of the all-time great players of the game.

Even by NSW Blues supporters.

Originally published as Phil Rothfield: Not every great gets a fairytale ending