Greg Inglis ban gives Dally M rivals Ben Barba and Johnathan Thurston a boost

GREG Inglis's suspension has paved the way for superstars Ben Barba and Johnathan Thurston to pull right ahead in the race for the Dally M.

Greg Inglis

GREG Inglis's suspension has paved the way for superstars Ben Barba and Johnathan Thurston to pull right ahead in the race for the Dally M.

Barba and Thurston have been in electric form for Canterbury and the Cowboys respectively, and go head to head tomorrow night for not only a club victory, but three vital Dally M points.

Thurston was the $5 favourite with TAB Sportsbet when betting went behind closed doors after round 16, just ahead of Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk ($6) and Inglis ($7). Canterbury fullback Barba was $9.

Inglis had been in blistering form the past month for Souths, and Wednesday's three-week suspension for a shoulder charge on Dragons back-rower Dean Young will not help his Dally M cause.

The Storm's four straight losses would have also helped Cronk fall behind in the race for league's top individual gong, which leaves Barba and Thurston in the hot seat.

Cronk was on 19 points after round 16, closely followed by Thurston, the injured Billy Slater and Matt Bowen, all on 17 points, with Barba and Inglis on 16 points.

Souths centre Matt King thought the Dally M was down to Inglis and Barba, but that was before his Bunnies teammate was rubbed out.

TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie hoped Barba triumphed given he had attracted the least amount of money from punters, despite paying as much as $41 in the first three rounds.

Barba, who was awarded man-of-the-match honours against Manly last Friday, is a big reason the Bulldogs are sitting on top of the NRL ladder.

Thurston won the Dally M in 2005 and 2007 and will join Andrew Johns as a three-time winner if he can hold off Barba.