John Sutton says he still harbours ambitions to captain South Sydney despite being stripped of the role following the Arizona incident.

Sutton was replaced by Greg Inglis after it emerged he was arrested and spent a night in jail following a booze-fuelled run-in with a security guard on the Rabbitohs’ NRL pre-season trip in November.

The saga became a distraction during the pre-season when details emerged through the press and the club was fined $20,000 by the NRL.

Sutton, speaking about the incident for the first time at Redfern on Thursday, said he had moved on before the details come out in the media.

He called the episode a wake-up call but had not closed the door on the idea of captaining the club again.

“I’m happy with where I am at the moment, but if Greg goes and plays Origin and Madge (coach Michael Maguire) gives me the call-up, then I’ll definitely take the call-up,” he said.

“All I’m worried about now is playing the best footy for this team.”

Sutton led the side out in its pre-season trial at Redfern against Queensland Cup side Northern Pride, indicating Maguire could hand him the role again in Inglis’ absence.

The Rabbitohs have shown no ill effects during the pre-season, winning the Auckland Nines and the World Club Challenge before comprehensively beating Brisbane in round one.

“It wasn’t so much hard for me. I dealt with it a long time before it came out,” Sutton said.

“But more for my partner and family to see my mug shot everywhere, it was pretty disappointing in that way. They went through it the first time as well.

“But I’ve got a very supportive family and we moved on.”