Gregory Paul Inglis (born 15 January 1987), also known by the nickname of "G.I.", is a retired Indigenous Australian professional rugby league footballer, who regularly played as a centre, fullback, five-eighth and wing.
From 2011 to 2019, Inglis played in the NRL for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, including their 2014 premiership win. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative outside back, he previously played for the Melbourne Storm, with whom he won a Clive Churchill Medal and the Golden Boot Award. Inglis was a versatile back, having played in several positions during his career. He originally played or for the Storm, occasionally filling in at when injuries or players demanded.
In 2007, he moved to and played at until early 2009 before he switched to centre when Brett Finch arrived at the club, where he played for the remainder of his time there until the end of 2010.
Inglis' representative matches for Queensland and Australia have been mainly as a or er. In November 2009, Inglis won the Golden Boot Award as the world's best player – presented to him by Rugby League World magazine, becoming the third consecutive Storm player to win it, after Cameron Smith (2007) and Billy Slater (2008). In 2018, Inglis was given the captaincy of the Queensland Maroons for the series against the New South Wales Blues (2018). At the end of the 2019 season, he announced his retirement, but in May 2020 signed with the Warrington Wolves for the 2021 English Super League season. After three matches, a hamstring injury ended his tenure with that club.
Early years Inglis was born in Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia to a family of Indigenous Australian (Dunghutti) heritage.How Greg Inglis inspires a generation. The Courier Mail. Retrieved 8 February 2017. He began playing rugby league at a very young age for the Bowraville Tigers in New South Wales. While living in Macksville, he grew up with fellow local, close friend and future Australian cricket player Phil Hughes.Macksville boy Phil Hughes grew up with Greg Inglis, The Courier-Mail, 5 February 2009.
At 15 years old, after being seen playing at a junior carnival on the NSW North Coast, Inglis signed his first professional contract with the Canberra Raiders but actually played his first senior game at 16 for Hunter Sports High School in New South Wales.State of Origin rules overhauled to avoid repeat of Greg Inglis Queensland defection. The Courier Mail. Retrieved 1 March 2012. Later that year he moved to Brisbane, Queensland and continued to play senior football for Wavell State High School and Melbourne Storm's feeder club Norths Devils. While in Year 11 at Brisbane's Wavell State High School, Inglis played for the 2004 Australian Schoolboys and was already attracting media attention as an NRL star of the future. He played his first under 18s game for the Brisbane Wombats in 2004. Before the end of the 2004 season the Storm had added Inglis to their full-time playing roster for the following year.
Professional playing career 2005 Inglis played for Melbourne in 2005 in a pre-season trial match against the Brisbane Broncos, scoring a try in the Storm's win. While playing for Brisbane's Norths Devils in the 2005 Queensland Cup season, Inglis scored 12 tries in five games and had already become the subject of a battle between Queensland and New South Wales over which state he would play State of Origin for. Inglis scored 194 points for the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup. In Round 6 of the 2005 NRL season, Inglis made his NRL premiership debut at 18 as a replacement to injured winger Jake Webster in Melbourne's match against the Parramatta Eels, scoring a try in the 26–14 loss at Olympic Park. Inglis would go on to play a month later at fullback in Round 10 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, scoring a try in the Storm's 38–12 win at Sydney Football Stadium. Inglis played at fullback when Billy Slater was on Origin duty, or at wing or the bench as he slowly solidified himself in the Storm side. At the 2005 Dally M Awards Inglis was nominated for the Rookie of the Year, but lost to Parramatta's Tim Smith. The Storm went on to reach the finals that season and in a play-off match against the Brisbane Broncos, Inglis had his first experience in finals football. With the game still in the balance, Billy Slater was helped from the field with an ankle injury and Inglis replaced him. After being on the field for five minutes, he crossed the Broncos' line untouched to score the match-winning try. The Storm then lost in the Semi-Finals to the North Queensland Cowboys 16–24, ending their season.
2006 Season 2006 saw Inglis continue to play primarily in the role as his counterpart Billy Slater was suspended after he began the season at . Inglis was chosen as goalkicker for the Storm after the departure of Matt Orford, but the role was given to Cameron Smith after Inglis kicked just 1 from 5 against the New Zealand Warriors in the Storms' 22–16 win at Mt Smart Stadium in Round 1. After scoring 9 tries in 9 games, Inglis was selected in the starting line up in the Queensland State of Origin team. Inglis' selection for the Queensland Rugby League State of Origin series team in 2006 created controversy which lingers nearly a decade later. Inglis was born and raised in Bowraville, New South Wales, and played his first senior football in New South Wales (in the Arrive Alive Cup). Hunter Sports High coach Steve Dunn exposed the fact that Inglis playing for the school in the Arrive Alive Cup made him eligible for NSW while Queensland Rugby League claim that either Wavell State High School or Brisbane Norths was Inglis' first senior football. Leading rugby league statistician David Middleton provided information that Inglis should be playing for NSW.Inglis should be wearing Blue jersey By John Coomber, 20 May 2008, FOX Sports News The matter was resolved when the ARL gave Inglis the green light to play for Queensland Rugby League, because it allowed the QRL's submission that his first senior football was at Wavell High. However, later investigations revealed that Inglis played his first senior game for Newcastle's Hunter Sports High School at the age of 16, and is therefore technically not eligible to play for Queensland.Ricketts, Steve. Coolwells Made Inglis Feel at Home. Courier Mail However, Inglis went on to begin his State of Origin career with the Maroons, lining up alongside Storm teammates Cameron Smith and Dallas Johnson. A few early errors were soon forgotten when Inglis scored two tries and saved one. This was not enough for Queensland to win the match as they lost 17–16. In the game after his brilliant Origin debut, Inglis suffered a back injury in Round 13 against the Sydney Roosters in the Storms' 20–16 win at Olympic Park. This injury kept him out for two months, effectively making him miss the rest of the 2006 State of Origin series. It was around this time that Inglis signed for the Storm for a further four seasons, keeping him at the club until 2010. The deal was worth about $2 million, making him the richest teenager in rugby league. On his return from injury, Inglis continued in the position and was an important factor in the Storm winning the 2006 NRL season's Minor Premiership. The Storm cruised through the finals, beating the Parramatta Eels 12–6, and the St. George Illawarra Dragons 24–10, then eventually met the Brisbane Broncos in the 2006 NRL Grand Final, which the Storm lost 15–8. Inglis finished the 2006 NRL season with 18 tries and 2 goals, an effort which earned him selection in the Australian team for the 2006 Tri-Nations series. Inglis scored four tries in his opening three tests against New Zealand and Great Britain and featured in the Final against New Zealand, which the Kangaroos won 16–12 at SFS.
2007 In 2007, Inglis was switched primarily to ; his form at five-eighth was often criticised. In the opening month of the 2007 NRL Season, Inglis failed to score a try. In Round 4, Inglis sustained a knee injury against the Newcastle Knights in the 22–12 win at Hunter Stadium which kept him out of the 2007 Anzac Test. Despite not scoring at , Inglis was selected for the Queensland State of Origin team for the 2007 State of Origin series, playing on the . In Game 1, Inglis scored 2 tries in Queensland's 25–18 come-from-behind victory, giving him a record of four tries from two matches. Inglis finally scored his first try of 2007 in Round 12, against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the 26–10 win at Olympic Park. Inglis was again selected to play on the wing for his state, and scored in Queensland's 10–6 win, which gave Queensland their second consecutive Origin series victory. Despite scoring 3 tries in 2 games on the wing for Queensland, Storm coach Craig Bellamy kept pursuing Inglis as a . In Game 3 of the Origin series, Inglis injured a ligament in his knee after just 22 minutes, and as a result missed 2 weeks of action. Queensland ultimately lost the game, 18–4, but had already wrapped up the series. Following his return, Inglis and the Storm focused on the finals. The Storm suffered their third loss of 2007 in Round 20 against a Brad Fittler coached Sydney Roosters side 26–16 loss at SFS. Following this, the Storm remained undefeated for the rest of the season, winning their second consecutive Minor Premiership. In the finals, the Storm got redemption from the heartbreaking 2006 loss after beating the Brisbane Broncos 40–0 in the Qualifying Final, eliminating them from the competition for 2007. They then defeated the Parramatta Eels 26–10 in the preliminary final to qualify for the 2007 NRL Grand Final, where the Storm faced off against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, who finished second. After a 10–4 lead at halftime and an untimely injury to Brett Stewart, the Storm blew Manly off the park, winning 34–8. Inglis scored two tries and as a result was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal. Inglis also played in the one-off test at the end of the year. Inglis scored a hat-trick in Australia's record breaking 58–0 thrashing of New Zealand at Westpac Stadium. Later that year, Inglis was selected as a centre in the Storm's "team of the decade" to celebrate their ten-year anniversary.
2008