Greg Inglis’s move to five-eighth could save Rabbitohs’ season, says Darren Lockyer
DARREN Lockyer has endorsed Greg Inglis’ move to five-eighth, declaring the shift to the No.6 jumper can save South Sydney’s season.
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DARREN Lockyer has endorsed Greg Inglis’ move to five-eighth, declaring the shift to the No.6 jumper can save South Sydney’s season.
As the man who mastered the switch from fullback to five-eighth, Lockyer is adamant Inglis can also make the transition a success.
“It could be a masterstroke and it could unearth something we all know Greg is capable of doing,” Lockyer told The Daily Telegraph.
“It might also just be the confidence that everyone in the South Sydney team needs.
“I think by virtue of circumstance at the Rabbits, Maguire probably needed to look at changing things up. If they kept going the same way, they were going to keep getting the same thing.
“But putting Greg closer to the ball at five-eighth to be more involved is certainly a positive.”
Lockyer has played a mentor role with the champion Rabbitoh this season.
From advice about football and family to business and financial options in retirement, the Broncos great has only been a phone call away.
“I guess from my perspective I just want to see the guy do well for himself and his family,” Lockyer said.
“We played a lot of football together both for Queensland and Australia and I’ve seen him come a long way and mature.
“He has become a father and he is just a genuine good bloke who is very much team orientated. Greg talks to a lot of people, but when I see him there is that mutual respect there.”
Lockyer believes Inglis’ dominant display at centre in the mid-season Test against New Zealand was proof he can handle a move to five-eighth.
“I watched Greg playing for Australia in the centres and he went back to playing that role just like he’d been doing it every week,” Lockyer explained about Inglis’ third positional change in two weeks.
“It was seamless and he was close to man of the match that night, so I don’t think he will take long to adapt to five-eighth. I mean, the key for him will be thinking more the mentality to run and use his strength with the football.
“We all know what he can do with his running game, so that won’t be a problem and defensively he is very strong.”
There’s no questioning Inglis possesses the powerful running game to succeed at five-eighth, a fact proven when he won a Clive Churchill Medal from the position with Melbourne in 2007.
Despite this proven track record, Lockyer has called for patience in the ball-playing department.
“I think Greg’s passing game will probably take a couple of weeks,” he admitted.
“He has to work on his combinations with other players in the team and that always takes a period of time.
“It might take him a month, but from Madge’s perspective it will just be getting the ball in Greg’s hands more.”
On the back of four consecutive defeats, the Rabbitohs will be hoping Inglis can rediscover his match-winning mojo from five-eighth starting against Parramatta on Friday night.
Originally published as Greg Inglis’s move to five-eighth could save Rabbitohs’ season, says Darren Lockyer
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