Greg Inglis was drinking late into the evening following an indigenous football tournament before getting behind the wheel the next day and being charged for drink driving and speeding.
Despite the charges the rugby league star has retained his Australian captaincy, which was bestowed on him just hours before being pulled over by police as he drove home from the Koori Knockout tournament in western NSW town of Dubbo.
‘I went out to the knockout, giving back to the community and seeing all the kids smile in Dubbo. I went back to the hotel and thought I’d be right to drive (the next day),’ he told reporters.
Inglis said he kept drinking until about 11pm to 1am on Sunday night and left Dubbo for Sydney midday on Monday.
‘Went back to the hotel. Around 11pm, 1am. I don’t think I left until about 12pm the next day. Got pulled over. That was it for me.’
He apologised for his ‘very disappointing’ actions on Tuesday but refused to step away from his role as Kangaroos captain – a move he said was supported by his South Sydney Rabbitohs team.
Later on Tuesday it was revealed the NRL also wanted him to remain in the prestigious position, allowing him to stay on and opting to sanction him with a two-match ban.
He has been suspended for Australia’s two-Tests tour of New Zealand
While he apologised for his actions and the inevitable toll it would take on young players and the Aboriginal community at large, he refused to step away from his role as captain.
Inglis (pictured) addressed the media Tuesday at 1pm and announced he would not be standing down from his position as captain of the Kangaroos
‘I don’t think I’ve let my country down, I think I let a lot of people down because of where I stand in the game as an Indigenous role model, and a lot of kids down and a lot of people down in the sense of the community,’ he said in a media conference Tuesday at 1pm
‘I’m sincerely apologetic. I know where I stand in the game as a role model to the community and what I have been charged with is unacceptable on my behalf,’ he said.
‘I have the full support of the team (Rabbitohs) behind me and we’ll just move forward from here.’
The star skipper said he felt he still deserved to hold the prestigious position, saying ‘I feel I do (deserve to stay captain) myself but it’s entirely up to them, it’s out of my control now’.
‘It’s something I would really love. I want to be the Australian captain. Obviously there are standards there.’
He was charged with mid-range drink driving and speeding offences as he made his way home to Coogee on the double-demerit Labor Day long weekend.
Inglis (pictured) was charged with mid-range drink driving and speeding offences as he made his way home to Coogee on the double-demerit Labor Day long weekend
The drink-driving offence carries a maximum fine of $2,200, nine months’ jail and a minimum licence suspension of six months.
The penalty for the speeding offence is three demerit points, doubled to six because of the long weekend, and a $275 fine.
The 31-year-old was issued with a court attendance notice to face proceedings in Lithgow Local Court on November 22 and his licence was immediately suspended.
The penalty for the speeding offence is three demerit points, doubled to six because of the long weekend, and a $275 fine.
During his address to the media, he revealed he had returned to his Dubbo accommodation between the hours of 11pm and 1am Sunday evening.
Greg Inglis’ wife Sally (left, with Inglis) has not heard from her husband since he was charged with drink driving while returning from a rugby league tournament in Dubbo over the weekend
Inglis was heading home following a Koori Knockout match in Dubbo on Monday when he was pulled over by police – just hours after being named the new Kangaroos captain (pictured prior to weekend away)
Mrs Inglis (left) told the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday night her husband (right) had not been answering calls and the couple’s children were still waiting for him to come home
He said by midday Monday he felt sober enough to drive, and was ‘very disappointed’ when he was pulled over and a test proved otherwise.
The South Sydney star said he had spoken with both Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga and Queensland Origin mentor Kevin Walters, and said he would accept whatever decision both bodies made on his leadership.
‘With the Australian captaincy we’ll just wait and see with the NRL.’
His wife Sally told the Daily Telegraph on Monday night Inglis had not been answering calls and the couple’s children were still waiting for him to come home.
‘I haven’t spoken to Greg, the kids and I are still waiting for him to come home, he’s not answering his phone, he’s still at the game,’ she said at 9pm on Monday.
‘I’m a bit worried because I don’t know the ins and outs of what’s happened.’
Inglis is due to front the media at 1pm Tuesday to address his drink driving charges.
A decision on whether Inglis will retain his captaincy was expected to be made on Tuesday, according to the publication.
‘The NRL would ascertain full details (Tuesday) and then make a determination on any sanction,’ a spokesman said.
The superstar player (pictured with wife) was charged with mid-range drink driving and speeding offences after the NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout Carnival
Inglis (pictured) was returning from playing in the all-indigenous Koori Knockout tournament in the western NSW town of Dubbo on Monday when he was pulled over by police
Test selector Laurie Daley said on Tuesday he thought Inglis should be stripped of his captaincy, stating on Big Sports Breakfast ‘I don’t think you can have the Australian captain going DUI.
‘It has to change things. I’m pretty sure Greg and Mal (Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga) will come to the decision that he needs to step down as captain of his country.’
Daley said the affair would likely spell the end of Inglis’s tenure as Kangaroos captain before it had even begun.
‘He’s let himself down. He’s let the game down … and he’ll pay a massive price for that,’ the chief national selector said.
Daley cast doubt on whether Inglis would now play in next month’s Tests against New Zealand and Tonga in Auckland.
His Maroons coach Kevin Walters admitted it was disappointing Inglis found himself in the situation.
‘Mal has spoken quite openly about what his expectations are around the team environment, particularly from his senior players,’ he said.
‘I expect that they’ll make a decision this morning on it.’
Inglis allegedly tested positive in a roadside breath test, before returning a reading of 0.085 at a further test at a police station.
A decision on whether Inglis will retain his captaincy was expected to be made on Tuesday, according to the publication (Mr and Mrs Inglis pictured)
The Rabbitohs star was travelling back from the tournament after his side Wall Street Warriors bowed out of the competition with a 22-6 defeat in the opening round (pictured right with opponent at opening game)
NSW Police confirmed a 31-year-old male was arrested after a black Mercedes-Benz was stopped during a speed enforcement operation on the Great Western Highway at Lithgow (pictured)
The Rabbitohs skipper played for Wall Street Warriors on the weekend and the team was knocked out of the competition with a 22-6 defeat in the opening round.
He posted a video to Instagram from inside his car before driving to the tournament on Friday, announcing to fans it was ‘all about helping the kids’.
Other NRL stars taking part included his South Sydney teammate Braidon Burns and NSW Origin centre James Roberts.
The multiple-premiership winner had been named captain by national team coach Mal Meninga ahead of Tests against New Zealand and Tonga in Auckland.
In 2010 Inglis was charged with assaulting his wife and recklessly causing injury, but the latter charge was dropped and the former was dealt with through Inglis’s attendance at a diversion program.
In 2010 Inglis was charged with assaulting his wife and recklessly causing injury, with the latter charge dropped and the former dealt with through the footy star’s attendance at a diversion program