Updated March 21, 2019 11:18:05

Greg Inglis has taken aim at those who he says have fat shamed him over his weight, while revealing he played the 2018 NRL season with a shoulder injury and a bulging disc in his neck that required surgery.

The South Sydney star had his fitness continuously questioned over this preseason, prompting criticism of his weight and concerns over his form heading into the opening rounds.

Inglis said he finished last season at 98 kilograms, well under his usual playing weight.

He had not been at last year's weight since his early days at the Melbourne Storm well over a decade ago.

But he said claims he was well overweight earlier this year got to him after a summer in which he had also battled off-field issues, including a much-publicised drink-driving charge for which he escaped conviction.

Inglis also made the decision to step away from the game at the end of 2020 in a bid to spend more time at home with his grandparents, as well as bowing out of the State of Origin arena in 2019.

"People just don't get their facts right and that's what makes me laugh about it," he told Fox Sports' League Life.

"They say I'm 15, then it goes [to] 18, then 25 kilos overweight — I don't know where it's come from but I came out a couple of weeks ago and just laughed it off.

"It does get you down after a few weeks of people saying I wish I was 15 kilos overweight and looked like you. I was getting that from every second person.

"But at the end of the day I know what's right for me and so does the coach and nutritionist.

"That's all that matters in my world ... it is fat shaming. I don't appreciate it whatsoever."

While thumb and knee injuries were his main issues over the past two years, he said he had also been forced to deal with two other significant injuries since early last year.

"I've been carrying a right shoulder injury that happened in round six or seven [last year]," Inglis said.

"But before that even started, it was the Charity Shield, on the bus ride up I had a bulging disc in my C6 and C7 in the neck. I had a chat with James Graham up there about it.

"No-one knew about it ... there's a scar, but I just said I want to go out and do the best for my team.

"I don't really show any signs of weakness, that's just the character I am. At the end of the day I'm just too stubborn."

The Queensland captain also confirmed he would remain at right centre inside Dane Gagai for the foreseeable future at South Sydney, but he hoped to revisit the discussion on moving back to full-back around Origin time.

AAP/ABC

Topics: sport, rugby-league, nrl, sydney-2000, redfern-2016, nsw, australia

First posted March 21, 2019 11:14:41