Fitness expert Dean Benton says an unfit Greg Inglis is a 'bad buy' for any club in 2011
* By Wayne Heming
* AAP
* December 24, 2010 3:27PM
Fitness and performance expert Dean Benton says NRL superstar Greg Inglis is so out of shape and patched up he'd be a "bad buy" for any club next season.
A fitness consultant for the Queensland Reds and AFL's Adelaide Crows, Benton shares mounting fears that Inglis's ballooning weight - reportedly up around 120kg heading into Christmas following recent shoulder and hip operations - could seriously impact on his form in 2011.
"Whoever takes him will not get anything out of him in 2011," said Benton, recruited specifically by Wayne Bennett when the Brisbane Broncos won their sixth and most recent NRL premiership in 2006.
"He'd be a bad signing for a two-year deal. You'd really only be getting a player for one year."
Inglis, who's still on Melbourne Storm's books, is currently locked in a protracted contract saga with NRL club South Sydney.
He's also been linked to a code switch with AFL club Essendon as he searches for somewhere to play in 2011 after last month walking out on a handshake deal with the Broncos, whose offer had NRL backing.
Concerns are growing about his escalating weight and personal dramas, with the league's refusing to register his latest deal with Russell Crowe's South Sydney potentially taking a heavy toll on the 23-year-old’s mentally and physically.
His shoulder operation means Inglis can't do any rowing or upper-body weights while his more recent hip surgery has restricted his ability to run.
Inglis has played heavy during his career and was the subject of weight concerns in 2009.
The Queensland and Australian star's ideal playing weight is around 108kg.
Benton said it would take around four months for Inglis to lose 15kg.
"You'd have to assume a fair bit of his weight is fat," Benton said.
"Even in the best-case scenario, in the best performance environment in training with the aid of nutritionist, you'd be looking at a kilo a week or 10 millimeters of fat reduction a week, which is the best I've seen.
"If you do the maths and he has to lose 15 kilos, it would take him 15 or 16 weeks to trim down.
"The other issue is his hip injury. I'm not sure of the nature of surgery or his rehabilitation but just with his shoulder, the best-case scenarios are typically 16 weeks for a basic shoulder reconstruction.
"Unless he's hired the services of a strength and conditioning consultant, a medical consultant and dietitian, you'd have to think his rehab would be compromise by both his hip and shoulder."
Meanwhile, NRL boss David Gallop remains hopeful the Rabbitohs will be able to make room under its salary cap to give Inglis a home next season.
