League: Coach sure Inglis will be playing

Greg Inglis. Photo / Getty Images

South Sydney coach Michael Maguire is confident Greg Inglis will line up against Sydney Roosters in Monday's NRL clash at ANZ Stadium.

Inglis sustained an ankle injury in last month's Indigenous All Stars clash on the Gold Coast and was initially ruled out until round three.

However, the Queensland centre has recovered more quickly than expected and was named in Maguire's first NRL side.

But the former Wigan coach admitted the 24-year-old would still need to be assessed in the build-up to the game.

"At the moment, he's running around okay so we're expecting him to be able to play," said Maguire.

"We've got to get him through the week to make sure he can get out there on Monday night."

Roosters coach Brian Smith admitted he wished Inglis were not playing, but said his selection would add some extra spice to the clash between the two old rivals, with a crowd of more than 30,000 expected.

"We all want to see the best players in our game playing all the time," Smith said.

"But from our point of view, we would rather he took another week."

Smith also ruled out the prospect of exciting young centre Tautau Moga being a late call-up to the team.

The 18-year-old, who has been compared to Sonny-Bill Williams and Israel Folau, has an ankle injury and was not included in the side.

"Tautau is probably a chance to be right for Monday," Smith said.

"But for a guy making his first-grade debut, I don't think it's the right sort of preparation for him to be in limbo all week waiting to find out if he can play."

New Zealand centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall is also out having lacerated a kidney in a training session. AAP