NOW his move to Warrington Wolves has been brought forward, the hope is that Luke Yates is able to hit the ground running.
And as he prepares make his debut at St Helens on Friday, he says he is ready to do just that.
The Huddersfield Giants captain’s signature for the 2025 season had already been announced but on Monday, it was confirmed a deal had been struck to bring him across the Pennines with immediate effect.
As such, he went straight from one last outing with the Giants at Leigh Leopards on Saturday to an earlier-than-expected start at his new club.
“I knew there was a little bit of stuff going on,” he said.
“I'd been speaking to Sam (Burgess) and whatnot, but I feel like Sam was probably just building a relationship with me more for next year.
“I wasn't sure either way – I was completely bought in and trying to do my absolute best for Huddersfield.
“We competed really well in that game but it was one of those things that happened quite quick and then all of a sudden, I was waking up and coming here.
“I thought it probably made sense with how things were going over there and the change in coach.
“When it sort of fizzled out, there seemed like there was a lot of change going on in the club and they were happy to do a bit of business.
“It made sense to them, it made sense to me, so why not come to start my career over here a bit earlier and get to get amongst it, see the lads and see over here when it's a bit nicer weather than coming in here in November or December?
“I'm fit and healthy, so I'm keen to play. I'm ready to go.”
Luke Yates trained with his new teammates for the first time on Tuesday (Image: Joe Richardson)
The 29-year-old’s early arrival comes as both a short and long-term boost to Warrington’s options up front at a time where Jordy Crowther is struggling with an ankle issue, Joe Philbin is still working his way back from adductor muscle surgery and Joe Bullock has been allowed to join Salford Red Devils on loan.
And having turned out more than 100 times in Super League during spells at Salford and London Broncos before arriving at Huddersfield, he joins Warrington having carved out a reputation as being one of the competition’s best defensive players.
While he’s keen to continue that, Yates also wants to show what he can do with the ball at his new club.
“I don't think you want to forget what you've got at the end of the day, that's the defensive stuff,” he said.
“I've been in a team that has not been attacking that great so I've been defending a lot more so ideally, if we're attacking a lot more then I can have some more carries and have a bit more of an impact in that way.
“I'd probably prefer to do that rather than making 50-odd tackles a game but if that's the role that I've got to do, that's the role I've got to do. I'm happy to play any sort of style.
“I think it's refreshing for me – I've been with Watto (Ian Watson) at Salford and then into Huddersfield so I've been with the same coach for the last five years so it'll be nice to work with a new group that have a fresh set of eyes that can help me evolve my game in other ways.”
And what of his impressions of the pack of forwards he is joining?
“Very impressive, very physical big lads – a lot bigger than me,” he said.
“Vaughany (Paul Vaughan) and James Harrison, they obviously lay a very good platform and then Ben Currie is playing very well on the back of them.
“They've got a lot of good young lads who are coming through in the team as we seen the week before the cup final, the young fellas like Tommy Whitehead and Max (Wood) playing really good footy so I think it's exciting times.
“We've got a really good blend of senior players that are peaking and in good condition playing well and then you've got good young lads who are excited and want to push on.
“I feel like it's a great balance here at the minute.”
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