LEADER OF THE PACK
A very vocal Nathan Peats made his presence felt at Titans pre-season training with his captain from this year admitting the hard-nosed hooker had the right credentials to become skipper
BLUES hooker Nathan Peats has bolted into contention to captain the Titans as Jarryd Hayne told his teammates that he will not walk out on the Gold Coast.
The Titans were put through a gruelling fitness testing session under new coach Garth Brennan yesterday. Peats was the standout performer alongside fiveeighth Kane Elgey, setting the pace in testing despite being restricted in his return from a shoulder reconstruction.
The hard-nosed hooker was vocal throughout the session, urging his teammates to lift as Brennan ran his eye over a new-look Titans squad.
The Titans could have a new captain in 2018 with Brennan uncommitted to retaining last season’s skipper Ryan James, appointed by former coach Neil Henry.
Peats and Kevin Proctor, who was stripped of the cocaptaincy he shared with James following a drugs scandal, are the main contenders with James to lead the Titans.
Peats, 27, made his State of Origin debut this year and is well-respected among the playing group for his no-nonsense approach.
James said he hoped to captain the club for a second season but admitted others also had strong credentials.
“It’d be great being a local junior but you have to earn it,” he said.
“You have to put the hard pre-season in and see if you can earn it. I take it as a challenge.
“We’ve got some great leaders like Peatsy, Kevvie, myself and there’s a couple of young ones like Ash Taylor who resigned for a long time.
“There is leadership potential in all of them. It’s great to be in that bunch.
“Hopefully Peatsy can come back from that shoulder injury. He won all the fitness with one shoulder. He couldn’t even swing his other arm.”
Hayne’s future continues to be a talking point at the Gold Coast following revelations he was considering quitting the club. The $1.2 million marquee man has been linked with a return to Parramatta but has told his Titans teammates he is not leaving the club.
“We’re expecting him to come back,” James said.
“He said on the ‘WhatsApp’ (group chat) he hasn’t spoken to anyone (other clubs) yet.
“He has kept in contact with all of us. He spoke to all of us and let us know.
“I’ve got no doubts (he wants to stay) from what he’s said to us. Jarryd is a big part of our team. When he is firing there are not many people that can stop him.”