'Inglis should be Australian captain': Cordner
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Boyd Cordner is happy for Greg Inglis to be Australian captain for the two end-of-season Kangaroos Tests.
The two State of Origin and NRL club captains are face-to-face again this Saturday night in the Telstra Premiership preliminary final at Allianz Stadium, when the Roosters host the Rabbitohs.
The winner goes through to the 2018 grand final. The winning skipper could also expect to be the new Australian captain, in light of Cameron Smith's retirement, for the October 13 (New Zealand) and October 20 (Tonga) games.
But Boyd has already made his call.
"I'd be more than happy for Greg to take that job," Cordner told NRL.com.
"Look, I'm really close with Greg and have got to know him quite well through rep football since 2013.
"We are good friends. He's an amazing player and has been for a long time in our game.
"I know how much respect he has among the playing group in the Australian squad. He's been one of the leaders in the Kangaroos for a while."
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Some could argue Cordner had rite of passage as he won the Origin series as NSW captain.
"Even after that I'd be more than happy for Greg to be captain if that is the way Mal [Meninga] wants to go.
"If Greg is the direction they are heading, then that's a good direction. I'm just proud to be able to wear the green-and-gold – to play in that team," Cordner said.
"If Greg is the man for the job he will have everyone's full support, and mine too, that's for sure."
As it stands already, it has been a sterling year for the Old Bar Pirates junior.
He leads the Roosters alongside Jake Friend, he has led the Blues for the last two years, and could become a grand final leader – the last Roosters GF captain was Anthony Minichiello - and an Australian skipper – the last Roosters player was Brad Fittler.
Cordner doesn't want to look that far ahead, but he's proud of some of the heights he's already scaled.
"That's why you play football as a little kid," he said.
"One day you want to play NRL … you'd be happy with one game. Then you play for one year, for two years, and then you're playing Origin and you play for Australia.
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"You look back and think 'Where's that time gone?' This is amazing to be where I am right now. I never thought in a million years I would captain a club or an Origin team one day.
"It's pretty mind-blowing. To do all that at 25 years is also humbling for me as I've tried to ride the setbacks – with injuries and what-not – as best I can.
"I'm very blessed. But it doesn’t stop me. I still want to be better; a better teammate, a better clubman and a better player."
