South Sydney desperately require a dose of inspiration and are hoping Greg Inglis can do just that.

With the side’s hopes of back-to-back titles on death row, Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire says Inglis is guaranteed to return from a knee injury next week.

The Rabbitohs were forced to settle for seventh spot on the ladder following their 30-0 thumping at the hands of the Sydney Roosters on Friday night.

Also missing hooker Issac Luke (suspension) and second-rower John Sutton (broken leg), the Rabbitohs were cannon fodder for the ruthless Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium.

Maguire said Inglis was close to returning against the Roosters but elected to rest the Queensland superstar who underwent arthroscopic surgery just a week-and-a-half earlier.

“He wanted to get out there tonight but I called it earlier in the week,” Maguire said.

“I just said `look mate, I want you to look after that leg and get it right’.

“He’s right on track so I’m sure the boys will love him coming back into the team and we know what he’s capable of doing.”

Maguire refused to concede his side’s title chances were over, despite leaking 77 points over the last fortnight and losing three straight matches.

“You look at certain teams. The Roosters, they’re shooting for records at the moment, they’re a chance of 15 straight wins,” Maguire said.

“Who would have thought that at the start of the season?

“You look at the Broncos. Listening back to (coach) Wayne (Bennett) there, about a month ago he was talking about the start of the season that they would never have thought they would have this period because he was saying it was going to take around three years (to be premiership contenders).

“Cronulla. What they’ve gone through with ASADA and those sorts of different things, they’ve created an opportunity for themselves. I could go around all sorts of teams.

“But whatever’s happened up to now, you take the good things out of it and then you go about your footy.”