First-year Gold Coast Titans coach Garth Brennan admits he may be running out of credits but that his recruitment strategy hasn't strained his relationship with Penrith Panthers general manager Phil Gould.
The former Panthers under-20s mentor will be reunited with Bryce Cartwright at the Titans this week after a four-year deal was struck with the play-making forward on Saturday.
The 23-year-old is the third Panthers player, after Mitch Rein and Leilani Latu, to head to the Gold Coast since Brennan took over in October.
Brennan is also grooming utility Tyrone Peachey to follow the trio in 2019.
Penrith came under fire for losing captain Matt Moylan to Cronulla in the off-season, who along with Cartwright had graduated through the club's junior system.
Brennan laughed that the well in Penrith may soon run dry but that it wasn't a case of raiding a vulnerable former club.
"Yeah I think no doubt it will, but I've made it public the respect I have for Gus (Gould) and the Penrith Panthers," he said.
"I spent six years at the club trying to build it up, the last thing I'm going to do is go and tear it apart.
"Everything I've done up front and Gus isn't someone you want to make an enemy of."
The Titans can add two more players to their squad but Brennan said he wouldn't be pressured into anything for the sake of it.
With Peachey on the radar for next season, the rookie coach said he's got the nerve and the support to play the patience game until the right player presents himself.
"It's a matter of just being patient and bring the right people in," he said.
"I'm not going to rush out and fill those spots for the sake of filling them."
The Titans play their first pre-season trials next Saturday against the Brisbane Broncos in Toowoomba, with a stronger squad expected to be named the following Saturday against the New Zealand Warriors on the Sunshine Coast.
