He expected to be back at halfback, but Souths' new five-eighth says he's feeling right at home at No.6, writes Andrew Webster.

CRAIG WING was adamant yesterday he remains at ease about rookie halfback Chris Sandow pushing him out of position to five-eighth since his long-awaited comeback from a dislocated shoulder.

"Like I said," said Wing, "I'm really enjoying playing at halfback …"

You mean five-eighth? "Yeah, five-eighth. That's it."

Forgive the Freudian slip. For every minute of the off-season, under the blazing sun on the training paddock at Erskineville Oval, Wing prepared and honed Souths' attack standing at first receiver, calling the shots, just has he had envisaged when he decided to leave the Roosters and return to his former club.

In the two matches since his comeback from his dislocated shoulder in round one, Wing has been forced into the No.6 jumper to accommodate the emergence of the precocious, cocky Sandow.

It is no coincidence that Souths have won both matches with their new halves pairing - including their 34-30 golden-point victory over the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium on Monday night - and coach Jason Taylor insists this is how it will stay. "It's definitely our long-term halves combination," he said. "It's funny how it's worked out. If Wingy doesn't get injured in the first round, we don't give Chris a shot and we wouldn't have found out how well they complement each other. It's been a blessing in disguise."

Wing returned to his former club on the unwritten promise he would no longer play hooker, where he had spent much of his time at the Roosters, and would move into the halves - but halfback was where he was specifically going to play.

"Yeah, it was," Wing said yesterday. "But Chris stepped up just before I came back and he's been going well. He deserves his spot. I have no problems with it."

That said, he remains measured in his praise. "We certainly need to take more control, especially in the opening stages of the game," Wing said in reference to Souths' come-from-behind victories against the Cowboys and the Bulldogs, who led 24-6 at one stage. "It's not too good that we don't start playing footy until half-time. Against more disciplined teams, those 24 points will blow out …"

Still, circumstance has worked in Souths' favour, a twist considering how many halves Taylor had to use after Wing went down seven minutes into the season.

As Taylor - a former halfback of 276 matches - would know, most No.7s want the ball between their fingertips on every play; the result hanging on their every move.

"But Chris isn't one of those type of halfbacks, because he's got an individual attacking game," Taylor said. "He's not a very demanding halfback. And Craig's best asset is his running game, as he showed the other night [against the Bulldogs]. It's so important to us and the best place for him to do that is at No.6."

Wing said: "We're not getting in each other's way so far. I let him play his game, he lets me play my mine. I'm enjoying the room to move, the space."

Wing scored a try and was instrumental in others in the win against the Bulldogs - Souths' fourth in a row after they were considered certainties for the wooden spoon. And in the second half, he showed his experience when he lifted - and played a crucial role in fullback Luke Capewell's match-winning try - after Taylor had detonated in the changerooms during half-time.

"I remember sitting in the changerooms at half-time and JT was having a few words and I just felt I had to get involved more," Wing said."

"When I was getting emotional in the rooms, I noticed Wingy really listening to what I had to say, as if he was going to take it upon himself to do something about it," Taylor said.

Sandow wasn't talking yesterday, claiming he'd been placed on a media ban as he disappeared down the stairs at Cook and Phillip Park for the Bunnies' recovery session. Later, the Herald was told there was such ban.

"He's got a long way to go but I can't fault him," said Wing of his new halves partner. "And he's a bit cheeky, which is what you want in a halfback."