Could Aaron Woods stay with the Wests Tigers in 2018?

The Wests Tigers are watching Canterbury's salary cap issues closely, hoping there may be a chance of hanging onto skipper Aaron Woods for next season.

The SMH.com.au is reporting that Wests Tigers power brokers are wondering whether the Bulldogs' salary cap predicament might afford NSW and Australian prop Woods a small window of opportunity to rethink his future.

Woods was asked recently if Ivan Cleary had been appointed Wests Tigers coach sooner, would it have convinced him to stay at the club.

"Probably, you know," Woods told the SMH.com.au at the time.

"I've really enjoyed my time under Ivan and he's been outstanding. He's a really good coach and it sucks to be leaving especially when you see how good he's been. The club's really good, they've got someone like Ivan to take over and I'm a bit shattered I'm leaving and he's still going to be coach here."

The Bulldogs have been told by the NRL they need to have their salary cap in order by the start of the 2018 or new signings Woods and Kieran Foran won't be allowed to play.

According to reports, it is understood the Bulldogs have close to $10 million worth of talent on their books for 2018.

What makes this a real issue is that the NRL have yet to settle on a figure for next season, with many predicting it will be closer to $9 million when finalised.

This means the Bulldogs will need to shed more players before they can welcome their new stars.

The problem is, the other 15 clubs know this and won't be willing to pay market value for any of the Bulldogs discards making the prospect of being cap compliant that much harder.