South Sydney recruit Glenn Stewart says his departure from Manly was messy, but he's not bothered the man indirectly responsible for him leaving will also be fleeing the Sea Eagle NRL nest.
Injury-prone forward Stewart wasn't retained for 2015 by Manly, as they sought to save enough cash to keep outstanding halfback Daly Cherry Evans.
The ploy didn't work as it was announced during round one he would join Gold Coast after this season.
Asked on Monday how he felt about the situation, Stewart said: "I'm not too bothered.
"It was all pretty messy, my departure and just the way it got played out.
"But at the end of the day I'm happy here now and that's what I worry about so I don't really about whats going on over there now."
He adopted a similar tack when asked about the impact on Manly of the departures of himself and fellow forward Anthony Watmough, in addition to Cherry Evans' decision.
"You wouldn't imagine that's how they wanted it working out, but I don't really concern myself with that stuff now," Stewart said.
He watched Manly's first round flogging by Parramatta, Watmough's new employer, but his only comment was the Sea Eagles could "sort out their own backyard."
Stewart said he was five kilos lighter than when he last played a full campaign and his body had benefited from an enforced break.
"The surgeries weren't good but the rest of the body got a break while I was mending," Stewart said.
"It's probably the best physical shape I've been in since I first came into grade, I'd imagine."
Stewart is the big-name addition to the Rabbitohs pack, that lost Sam Burgess and Ben Te'o to rugby union after the club's drought-breaking premiership win last year.
"There's been a lot of questions asked about if I was replacing Sam Burgess, but the obvious answer is I knew I couldn't." Stewart said.
"He's a great player but we've got very different styles. I've just had to try to fit into the team and work to my strengths, which is probably passing."
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