IT was the moment a premiership-winning coach was forced to tell a possible future Immortal the brutal truth: your performances aren’t up to scratch.

“He told me straight to my face,” said South Sydney champion Greg Inglis.

Inglis opened up to The Daily Telegraph about his modest form this season and the meeting he had with straight-talking Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire.

Maguire told Inglis straight.

“It was a brutally honest conversation,” Inglis admitted.

Inglis’s form has been patchy at best this season, and the Rabbitohs skipper admitted he deserved the criticism.

“I sat down and had a chat with the coach (Maguire) about that. It was a brutally honest conversation,” Inglis said. “I just asked him about how he thought I had been going. He really told me.

“He said they weren’t up to scratch. He pretty much told me straight to my face.”

Inglis said he didn’t resent Maguire’s comments.

“Everyone should cop a bit of criticism,’’ Inglis said. “When your captain’s not performing, and not going great, it reflects on the rest of the team. That’s pretty much what he said.

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“If you’re not going to take criticism on board... you have to be open-minded about those conversations. I love having those conversations, you’re not going to learn any other way. And I reckon I have turned things around, turned the corner.

“I probably had the shits more about my own form more than anything else. I think I had two really bad weeks where it wasn’t the way I play footy. To be honest, the team hasn’t been too great, it is collective thing for the whole team.”

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Inglis now lines up at centre for Australia’s Test match against New Zealand in Newcastle on Friday night.

Australia’s famous green and gold jumper, it would appear, now runs second behind State of Origin. Just don’t tell Inglis.

“People have been asking me that question leading up to this (Test). Is this Test necessary? I definitely think it is,” Inglis said.

media_camera Inglis will line up at left centre for Australia this Friday.

“Yes, we have lost the last three Tests to the Kiwis and that does burn. I have played Origin and been in some big moments but this green and gold jersey is the pinnacle of our sport. When you represent Origin, you represent so many people. When you represent Australia, it is much larger population.

“Origin is big, it’s massive, it’s emotionally draining. It’s sensational to be part of the camps and games. But with the Aussies, you are representing your entire country.

“This Test match is well and truly alive. Origin is around the corner but let’s focus on the Test first, going to Newcastle isn’t going to be an easy task but, at the end of the day, I think we have a strong side here.”

Inglis will turn out for his 35th Test, a reward for skill, toughness, durability and resilience.

“I’m definitely not taking anything for granted, that’s for sure. One day I will retire and sit back at home and reflect these journeys throughout life,” Inglis said. “But I am not thinking too far into it at the moment. It’s just great getting back into camp. To look back now and see ‘Locky’ (Darren Lockyer) playing 50 Tests, thinking how the hell did he do that? I think ‘Locky’ is one of those freaks that never had any injuries. The way he played his footy throughout his career was unbelievable.”