'It is a business' - Peats after being forced out of Eels

Peats was forced out of Parramatta by the salary cap, agreeing to join Gold Coast via a 18-month deal on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old's departure, along with two others from Parramatta, means the Eels could be back under the salary cap and eligible to play for points against South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday, having been docked 12 points and fined one million Australian dollars after the NRL found they had breached the cap in five of the past six years.

Peats farewelled his team-mates on Thursday before fronting the media at Pirtek Stadium, where he said: "It is what it is, footy is a business, and I've finally realised it's a business.

"I'm just looking forward to going to the Titans and playing some good footy."

Of Peats, who arrived from Sydney Roosters in 2014, Eels coach Brad Arthur bemoaned: "It's a tough call, and as a coach and as a mate we're pretty devastated by it.

"We've got to try and stop focusing on the negatives and try and get a positive out of it which is we're playing for points.

"At the end of the day it's not a decision that I wanted to make, but it was a decision that was forced upon us by the situation."