NRL: Souths can still pull a Greg Inglis out of the hat

BRISBANE - National Rugby League (NRL) boss David Gallop is adamant Essendon's mooted talks with disillusioned superstar Greg Inglis tomorrow have not turned up the heat to approve his deal with South Sydney and keep him in rugby league.

Inglis claims he hasn't been paid by Melbourne in three months and is owed $270,000 in wages, which has been refuted by the Storm.

Inglis is reportedly set to meet Bombers coach James Hird on Wednesday, even though all AFL clubs have finalised their playing lists for 2011.

"Speculation about the AFL doesn't mean we should change the ruling we've made," Gallop told AAP when asked if he was worried league may lose another of its big names.

"The (NRL) ruling reflects the true nature of the arrangements that were put in place to secure Greg Inglis's signature at Souths.

"I hope for his sake his situation is resolved but I can't imagine the reaction if we were to suddenly toss the rules out the window, irrespective of who the player is."

NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert has so far refused to accept Souths' contract because of concerns over how it has been put together with third party arrangements.

That has triggered fears the 23-year-old could walk out on rugby league and join former Queensland and Australian teammates Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau who've jumped codes to the AFL.

Some observers believe Inglis's talks with Essendon are simply an attempt to get the NRL to bend the rules to get him to the Rabbitohs.

Souths can still finalise the deal if they can free up room under the salary cap by off-loading one or two players in 2011.

Gallop defended the NRL's tough stand, dismissing suggestions the Inglis case was a difficult one.

"It's not really that tough," he said on Tuesday.

"It took a long time to get the information that we asked for but once we got it, the true nature of the arrangement was patently clear.

"The arrangement is acceptable, it just doesn't fit under Souths' salary cap (as it is) at the moment."

Gallop was hopeful Souths could still get their man.

"It's not unusual for clubs in December to have some work to do to resolve their cap position before March," he said.

"I would hope that things are sorted out fairly quickly and that Greg's playing for Souths and Souths are complying with the salary cap.

"I don't think that's an unlikely result."

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has previously said he hopes Inglis stays in rugby league.

Storm chairman Ron Gauci said reports the club owed Inglis money were inaccurate.

Gauci said Inglis hadn't received payment from the Storm since November 1, but suggested that was due to an arrangement with South Sydney.

- AAP