Tough times ... Craig Wing feels the heat at Souths training. Photograph: Sam Ruttyn / The Sunday Telegraph

Last month, there were suggestions an off-shore investment scheme in Vanuatu had cleaned out the South Sydney star to the tune of $1million.

Then the eastern suburbs began buzzing about Wing being prepared to commit the ultimate sin by turning his back on Souths and returning to arch-rivals the Sydney Roosters.

For the Rabbitohs faithful, whose veins flow red and green, this would have been an act of sacrilege - the equivalent to serving cold rabbit stew through the streets of Redfern.

In his first interview since it emerged he may have lost $600,000 in a golf resort in Vanuatu 18 months ago, Wing confirmed he had bumped into Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis - socially.

But the Rabbitohs utility denied blowing $1million in a get-rich-quick Pacific Islands resort scheme. And said poor stock market prospecting on the advice of friend Rodney Prestia had been exaggerated.

In a move that set tongues wagging, Wing met Politis at a mutual friend's birthday party in the eastern suburbs late last year. Wing is adamant it was a co-incidental encounter.

"I have met Nick a couple of times since I left the Roosters,'' Wing said.

"To be honest, it allowed me to see Nick in a totally different light because there was no more an employee-employer relationship there.

"We never spoke about me returning to the Roosters. I'm at South Sydney now and I'm committed to South Sydney. I was at the Roosters for eight years of my life so of course I still have a lot of friends there. But me seeing those friends doesn't mean I'm trying to go back there.

"The reason I've been reluctant to talk is because I haven't really been able to be part of the team for a lot of the pre-season.

"I've had surgery and I've been in rehab, so as far as having anything to say about football and the year ahead there isn't much there. It's been a frustrating pre-season.

"But I'm committed to getting on the field for the start of the year and playing well for Souths.''