League star Inglis has case adjourned

Australia rugby league star Greg Inglis appeared in a Melbourne court on Wednesday charged with assaulting his girlfriend and was granted bail when his case was adjourned for two weeks.

Inglis stood throughout his five-minute hearing in the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court. He will reappear on August 26.

The Melbourne Storm centre was charged with recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault over an incident on Sunday which allegedly left girlfriend, Sally Robinson, with a black eye.

Melbourne suspended Inglis indefinitely after the charges were laid by police. The club confirmed on Wednesday that the suspension would remain in place, casting Inglis’ immediate career in the National Rugby League in doubt.

“We believe this is the appropriate course of action and is in the best interest of all parties concerned,” Melbourne Storm chief executive Brian Waldron said. “We reiterate our concern for the wellbeing of all involved. The club remains committed to providing counselling to all parties concerned.”

The 22-year-old Inglis, who has scored 13 tries in 12 tests for Australia, declined comment as he left the court.

He was made one of the faces of the NRL’s revamped million-dollar advertising campaign in March after the league dropped the television commercial featuring Brett Stewart when the Manly fullback was charged with sexual assault.

Inglis is the sixth NRL player charged with assaulting a female in 12 months, following Stewart, Cronulla’s Greg Bird and the Sydney Roosters players Anthony Cherrington, Jake Friend and Sandor Earl.

Inglis has been an important member of the Melbourne team that has reached the last three successive grand finals. He helped the Storm win the league title in 2007 and won the Clive Churchill medal for most valuable player.