Craig’s Wing and a Prayer at Souths in 2008

The resilient and proud South Sydney club finally came out of the wilderness in 2007, making the finals and proving a true contender on the NRL field for the first time in decades.

In recent times, South Sydney were the cash cow for big name players wanting an easy ride. The likes of Adam McDougall, Bryan Fletcher, and Chris Walker probably didn’t treat the club with the loyalty and passion it deserved. On the flip side, you had up and coming Souths players such as Craig Wing and Nathan Merritt walking away from the club during it’s darkest hours. To their credit, Wing and Merritt are now both back on deck at the Bunnies – Merritt proving his value many a time and looking the superstar in sometimes a beaten team.

For Wing, 2008 is unquestionably a big year. Craig Wing is nearing the end of his career and while his time at the Roosters has been fruitful, the talent Wing boasts surely deserves more accolades and representative jerseys should he find a position he could call his own.

Over the past 5 years Craig Wing has probably played every position except that of a front rower and while versatility is a handy asset for any NRL club – the onus on the player grows and really reduces his ability to improve and grow within a certain spot.

Not only will Craig Wing want to prove himself as a true and consistent rep player in his chosen halfback position, but he needs to excel not only to exit his Rugby League career on a high – but repay the faith of his former club and assist them to the lofty goals they have set under the new regime of Crowe, Holmes A Court and Jason Taylor.

The new infrastructure South Sydney boast will be the perfect vehicle for Wing to flex his on field muscle and take on a senior role within the growing club. With the likes of Roy Asotasi, Nathan Merritt and Issac Luke surrounding him – the crux of a premiership winning team is certainly there.

Will there be added pressure on Wing? Sure, as a former golden boy of South Sydney and a highly experienced campaigner both internally and externally many will expect big things from Craig Wing.

The burning question remains, is Craig Wing looking for the pension card that Souths have too often handed out to high profile players or is he looking to finish his career with the respect and admiration that many know is possible?