A delay in finalising the registration of Nathan Peats' contract with the NRL is set to ensure the Parramatta salary cap outcast will have to wait another week before making his debut for the Titans.
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Peats, who was the player squeezed out to enable the Eels to become salary cap compliant before last Friday night's match against South Sydney so they could play for points, arrived on the Gold Coast on Sunday ahead of Monday night's match against Sydney Roosters at Cbus Super Stadium.
However, the City Origin hooker is yet to meet the majority of his new teammates let alone train with them and Titans coach Neil Henry has indicated he was not planning to use his new signing against the Roosters.
The decision saves Gold Coast officials from a race against the clock as Peats' contract is yet to be officially registered by the NRL.
The NRL is expected to do so on Monday, providing all aspects of the deal and his transfer from Parramatta are in order, but Henry would rather avoid the potential disruption to his team by playing Peats.
"There has been a lot of talk obviously, in the last 48 hours about Nathan Peats amongst the group and he would come in with welcome arms,"Henry told the Titans website.
"We think he would be a welcome addition to our squad as well, so we are are looking forward to seeing him get involved next week. But our focus has been on getting a win at home against an opposition that have got a a few players back, with [Jared] Waerea-Hargreaves, Mitchell Pearce and Boyd Cordner, and are a tough team so I think we are going to be up for a good game."
Captain Nathan Friend, who is off-contract at the end of the season, will start at hooker for Gold Coast, with Keirran Moseley to provide cover from the interchange bench against the Roosters. But both know their positions are now under threat due to the arrival of Peats.
Friend, Moseley and fellow hookers Daniel Mortimer and Matt Srama are all off-contract at the end of this season and with the Titans having signed Peats for the remainder of this year and 2017 it is likely that one or more will go.
"I am looking forward to meeting the boys and getting out to the game tomorrow night. Hopefully I will get to meet a lot of fans and members," Peats said after landing at Coolangatta airport on Sunday.
