Greg Inglis’ South Sydney teammates want to see the superstar utility make a permanent shift to five-eighth, a move that would cast further doubt over Luke Keary’s future at the NRL club.
Inglis was moved to No.6 from fullback, with Keary pushed onto the bench, for the first time in three seasons for Souths’ win over Parramatta on Thursday that broke a four-game losing streak.
Hooker Cameron McInnes said Inglis’ move added spark to the Rabbitohs’ attack.
“I think Greg did a great job,” McInnes said at Souths training at Coogee Oval on Monday.
“Getting Greg with the ball in his hands in attacking space is what we were trying to do and it worked.
“As much as we can get him one-on-one with defenders it is going to be great for us.”
Alex Johnston played his first match at fullback in a return from a hamstring injury to accommodate Inglis’ move to the front line.
Johnston, too, declared the move a success.
“Greg killed it at five-eighth I thought,” he said.
“If we maintain that structure I think we can go alright.”
Forward Jason Clark said the change breathed new life into a struggling team.
“There were a few little changes that have worked there for us, it is exciting,” he said.
“It is a bit of a change, it is something we were not used to so it has given us a new lease of life. To see Greg in the line is always exciting
Inglis enjoyed the opportunity to get more involved.
“I do like getting into six,” he said.
“I think as a group we all stood up and played footy, there was a calmness across the whole team that helped me out a lot. Coming back off four straight losses I think we turned the corner.”
Keary is off contract at Redfern at season’s end and has been strongly linked to a move to rugby union.
The premiership-winning five-eighth appears unlikely to stay at Souths if he is not a regular starter.
Clark had 20 stitches inserted in his forehead as a result of a head clash with Eels hooker Isaac De Gois but will be fit for Thursday’s round 12 encounter with St George Illawarra.
“I’ll be fine,” he said.
