Peats feels heat for spot at Titans

FORMER NSW Origin hooker Nathan Peats is fighting for his NRL future after dropping down the pecking order of Gold Coast Titans No.9s.

Peats will come off the bench for the Titans in Saturday’s final pre-season trial against the Broncos at Redcliffe after new coach Justin Holbrook opted to give Mitch Rein the first crack at being the Gold Coast’s starting dummyhalf.

At 29 and off-contract this season, Peats is entering a critical period of his NRL career.

Peats signed a $600,000-aseason contract extension with the Titans when he was the

Blues Origin No.9 in 2017. But he lost his Origin jersey after three appearances that year and was restricted to only 13 NRL games last season through injury.

The last time Peats started an NRL game on the bench was in 2016, when he joined the Titans midway through the season from Parramatta.

But he now faces a battle to make the Gold Coast’s NRL team as Tyrone Peachey looms as the Titans’ bench utility.

Peats also has even more competition in the shape of new recruit Erin Clark.

Former Warriors and Raiders playmaker Clark was impressive in the Titans’ trial loss to Burleigh last Friday and is another bench option for Holbrook.

“He tried hard, he’s had a great pre-season and showed that,” Holbrook said. “He could (play off the bench). He’s got some work to do.”

Peats started at lock in three games late last season and with the Titans lacking depth in the front row, he could be thrown into the middle again.

Peachey put his hand up for the Gold Coast’s No.6 jersey during the pre-season, with Tyrone Roberts struggling to overcome an achilles injury.

But Holbrook said Roberts and Ash Taylor would be his first-choice halves if available and they will start together against the Broncos.