Hold the phone, Greg Inglis isn't a lock for the South Sydney fullback role next NRL season.
So says new coach Wayne Bennett, who denies promising the Rabbitohs' superstar skipper the No.1 jumper in 2019 ahead of young gun Alex Johnston.
Bennett insists not only is he confident that Johnston will honour the final year of his contract amid rumours he wants a shot at a fullback elsewhere, but that Johnston is also in the running for the custodian role.
"No, (Inglis) is not my first choice as fullback," Bennett said after overseeing his first Rabbitohs training session on Tuesday after his dramatic weekend sacking from Brisbane.
"We'll talk to 'GI' about where he wants to play and where he thinks the team will benefit the most from his position.
"He's been one of the great players in our game. When it's all added up - history and Immortals and everything else - he's going to be right up there amongst them all.
"So I don't like telling those guys where they have to play. I want them, when they've given so much, to be happy where they're playing.
"I put Darius (Boyd) in the centres this year and he was happy to do that because that's what the club needed and I'm sure Greg will be in the same boat.
"But I need to talk to him first and just make sure that he doesn't want to play fullback but centre is his preferred position - or vice versa."
Youngster Corey Allan is also an option to take over the Rabbitohs No.1 jumper.
The 20-year-old spent time at the back during the team's first training session under Bennett at Redfern Oval.
The Queensland and Australian under-20s representative was highly touted by Brisbane before he took up a three-year deal to move to Sydney and is expected to make his first grade debut in 2019.
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