That is one expensive ad.

Cheeky Gold Coast hooker Nathan Friend will fork out $5,000 for wearing headgear featuring the logo for his personal training business after the NRL issued a breach notice on Monday.

The Titans have been hit with the fine for "unapproved apparel".

They have five working days to respond but Gold Coast managing director Michael Searle had indicated that Friend would be asked to cough up the cash.

Friend turned heads when he ran out last Friday night against the Broncos with headgear featuring a huge logo for his business "Friends Complete Fitness" on the side.

It is believed Friend was told by Titans officials not to wear the headgear before running out at Suncorp Stadium.

Friend claimed that he only wore the headgear because he had forgotten his standard issue helmet.

"The supplier of my headgear lived just around the corner in Brisbane so he popped it in," Friend told the Nine Network on Monday night.

Friend had hoped to escape with a warning but NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley confirmed the workaholic Titans rake would cop a fine.

"The guidelines in relation to sponsorship on headgear are very clear and only the manufacturer's logo is permitted," Annesley said.

Some leniency was shown by the NRL - Friend faced a maximum fine of $10,000.

While NRL regulations on apparel are clear, an exception was recently made by the league for Titans playmaker Preston Campbell so he could display the Aboriginal flag on his headgear.

The fine adds a further sour taste in the Titans' mouths after they slumped to back-to-back losses following last Friday night's 32-18 defeat at the hands of Brisbane.

The early season front-runners have dropped to seventh (6-4 record) and will be keen to bounce back when they host a resurgent Manly (12th; 4-6) at Skilled Park on Sunday.

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