Greg Inglis, mighty unlucky or just one too many?

Over the years we have all seen the absolute marvel of Greg Inglis. His speed, strength, agility and overall rugby league talent is a view to behold for every fan. However, since his positional switch from centre to fullback, and the greater responsibility he has been given to roam the field, the media and fans alike have started to question his particular running style.

His running style has begun to be questioned due to the fact that he has been involved in a high number of 'spear tackles' whereby his legs are lifted off the ground which results in his neck and legs being placed in a dangerous position. Moreover, due to the high number of spear tackles he has been involved in, the media and fans have started to closely monitor his running style and have emphasised any possibility in which he places himself in the dangerous position by leaning forward into tackles.

Greg Inglis knows he is a target on the field, but having been the victim of four ugly spear tackles this season, questions need to be asked on the coincidence of them all. The South Sydney star however has admitted to being stunned by suggestions he needs to change his running style and believes that neither of the tackles have been premeditated.

Sydney Roosters great Brad Fittler said he didn't feel Inglis was in the wrong, but believed a change would be in Inglis' best interests.

"The key is Greg's the constant factor in a lot of the tackles," Fittler said.

"I just don't want to see him get hurt. I don't want to see anyone get hurt like that. He's not doing anything wrong, but it's up to Greg."

Greg concluded by responding that "if I've got to change my running style ... I don't know, I'm a bit stunned by that."

Why weren’t there any 'send offs' or 'sin bins'

Round 7 was set for a cracker between two of the top teams in the NRL, between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Manly Sea Eagles. However ened in controversy involving the refs not sending off or sin-binning Sea Eagles prop Richie Fa'aoso or Jason King, who was involved in three situations where he spear tacked South Sydney's star fullback Greg Inglis head first into the turf.

This was similar to the tackle that Bulldogs centre Krisnan Inu made on Greg Inglis, with which he copped a 8 week ban, but still questions were raised, to why he wasn’t sent off. The video shows, Krisnan Inu spear tackling Greg Inglis.

After the NRL controversially banned the shoulder charge from the game for the protection the player head, South Sydney coach Michael Maguire, as was concerned with the welfare of his player.

Three comments that he made particularly stood out:

“At the end of the day what does it take for someone to be sent off?” he asked.

“Greg was dropped on his head three times in the game and it has happened on various occasions in other games.

“I think it is an area where you have to protect your players. It’s just madness it has got to this point. I’m concerned about all my players if this sort of thing is going on."

Fa'aoso spear tackes Greg Inglis

As a result of this, the NRL referee boss has said "It's a big decision to sin-bin someone and it's a big decision to dismiss them from the field." But he added that they will review the sin bin rule and the prospect of using the sin-bin for repeated incidents of foul play, a move which could prevent a repeat of the attack South Sydney star Greg Inglis endured on Friday night.

It is likely that Richie Fa'aoso will now receive a hefty suspension as he has carry over points from an earlier incident, which Jason King is also likely to come under scrutiny by the NRL match review panel.

Hopefully in the future, refs are able to use sin-bins in particular more effectively to penalise players who put other players welfare at risk.