Maroons great backed for Origin comeback

The door for a return to the 2020 State of Origin series has been left wide open for Queensland great Greg Inglis.

Inglis had hang up the boots in April 2019 at the age of 33, although took the rugby world by storm when he came back and signed with English Super League team the Warrington Wolves for 2021.

Maroons great Johnathan Thurston has called for Inglis to make an Origin comeback for Queensland, with the coach Kevin Walters encouraging the former star to put on the Maroons jersey once more.

“The door is always open for great Queenslanders if they ever want to come back and play, we never shut the door, that’s always our way,” he told Fox League Live in May.

Adding to the media excitement, Inglis did not rule out a potential return.

“I’ve obviously got to get back into running and get the kilometres back in my legs, but again I’m not saying no and I’m not saying yes,” he told NRL.com in August.

“Just having an open dialogue and I will go on the way I feel.”

Speaking on the Wide World of Sports, league legend Thurston believes that Inglis can add some much needed power in the Queensland centre.

“When I was looking at my side, in the past we had GI, (Justin) Hodges and (Will) Chambers – really strong,” he said.

“You had Mark Coyne and Mel Meninga in the past.

“We’ve always had big, strong and athletic centres. That’s probably what we don’t have at the moment.

“He’s a competitor GI. When he puts that Maroons jersey on – I’ve seen the look in his eye.

“If he’s got that look in his eye, you’re not going to get beaten

“It would be good to see him go out there and just annihilate a few bodies for us.”

The potential return of Inglis would come at the perfect time for coach Walters.

The Queenslanders look weak in the middle with David Fiftia, Moses Mbye and Michael Morgan all sidelined this year with injuries.

New South Wales coach Brad Fittler will reveal the first round of players this Sunday.