NRL: Friend confirms Warriors exit

Nathan Friend pulled off a remarkable try assist on Sunday but he won't be at the Warriors next year to provide anymore highlight moments. Photo / Getty

Warriors hooker Nathan Friend could be making a return to the Gold Coast Titans, despite many fans willing him to stay in New Zealand, in the wake of his stunning back-flip try assist in yesterday's 28-14 win over the Melbourne Storm.

Friend was trending on social media last night and caught the attention of foreign news outlets, after his spectacular backwards somersault and upside-down between the legs pass helped set up one of the tries of the season for Warriors winger Tui Lolohea.

Friend: I was fortunate that all those days on the trampoline with my boys came good

However, after confirming his imminent departure from the Warriors to the Herald last week, reports out of Australia suggest Friend could make a return to the Titans, where he played 100 games between 2007 and 2011.

"You would have to go a long way to find a more professional player than Nathan Friend," former Titans football manager Scott Sattler told Rugby League Week.

"He's outstanding when it comes to ensuring that the club's ethos is followed day-to-day due to his strong work ethic.

"If he and his wife, Kelly, are planning to come back to Queensland to live he would be fantastic for the Titans."

The Titans already have injured rookie No.9 Kierran Moseley on their books and are also said to be interested in signing Broncos hooker Matt Parcell, but Sattler believes Friend's vast experience would be a welcome addition to the battling club.

"From a training perspective, his preparation is exemplary and a lot of players identify with that and try to follow suit," he said.

"What that does is create a really strong work ethic in your team and that's what Nathan brings."

Friend will not be with the Warriors in 2016 after turning down an offer for a one-year extension.

"I'd love to stay but it's just not going to happen unfortunately. They've signed Issac Luke and he's going to be great for the club moving forward," Friend told Radio Sport.

Nathan Friend confirms on Radio Sport that he is leaving the Warriors

"I don't really want to play second grade at the back end of my career so hopefully I can find a spot somewhere else for a year and that may be it for me.

"I've had a great career and been fortunate to play for so long so we'll see. Hopefully by the end of next week or the week after, I might have some news."

Of his gymnastic effort to retrieve the ball up above much taller forwards in the middle of the park, Friend joked it was all about proving he could make a positional switch in an effort to earn a new lucrative contract with another club.

"I thought I'd pop out there and contest the ball and show those fullbacks how it's done and maybe do a few new deals out there because I see that most fullbacks are on good coin," he said.

"I knew it was the last tackle and I had to get rid of it. I was just fortunate that it hit Sammy on the chest. It could have been awful if it had been a runaway try but I'll take that one."

Coach Andrew McFadden admitted Friend's effort had "changed the game" and conceded plenty of people would reference the backflip when questioning why the Warriors would let him leave the club.

"Unfortunately we'll be reminded of it a fair bit over the next week I'd imagine," said McFadden.

"It was obviously spectacular but it was an inspirational effort. We don't get the try unless he does that."