Raider's exit in "holding pattern" with Tigers linked to Penrith playmaker

Raider Josh Hodgson's move to the Wests Tigers has been placed in a "holding pattern" as the Concord club look to control the club's latest football department transition.

The Tigers announced this week that football boss Adam Hartigan would part ways with the club with immediate effect, while Tim Sheens would take on the role as director of football, also starting immediately.

Currently residing abroad, Sheens is set to begin his role in overlooking the Wests Tigers' salary cap situation, with the Tigers also set to confirm their new-look football department in the coming days.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 16: Tigers coach Tim Sheens watches on from the bench during the round three NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Wests Tigers at WIN Jubilee Stadium on March 16, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The changes have placed some hindrance on Hodgson's reported departure from the nation's capital, with The Canberra Times reporting that contracted Penrith playmaker Api Koroisau is also of interest to the Tigers.

Hodgson has been given the green light to speak with rival clubs in regards to an early release from his contract with the Raiders, which ends at the conclusion of 2022.

Koroisau is also contracted until the end of next season, and could reunite with Michael Maguire following their time together at Redfern.

Any move in the play market will be put on hold as Sheens begins to take the wheel at Concord, particularly leaving Hodgson at an impasse this off-season despite a two-year offer tabled by the NSW club.

Canberra recruitment manager Peter Mulholland revealed all parties are facing a delay in talks given the new football department changes at the Tigers.

"Tim Sheens just wants to get his head across the whole thing so it's probably on a little bit of a time delay at the moment until he gets his head around their salary cap situation, and he's got to meet with Maguire over Zoom," Mulholland told The Canberra Times.

"So it's just a little bit of a holding pattern."

With Hartigan also having been a key figure in talks between the Tigers and Raiders for Hodgson, negotiations are sure to take a turn when Sheems enters the discussions.

The Tigers are hoping the Raiders foot a portion of the Englishman's wages for next season in order to acquire Hodgson for the 2022 season.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 20: Apisai Koroisau of the Panthers looks on during a Penrith Panthers NRL training session at Panthers Stadium on October 20, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

With both Hodgson and Koroisau off-contract and able to speak with clubs from November 1, the thought of interest from expansion newcomers the Dolphins could also play a part in the Tigers wanting to speed up discussions with either playmaker for the 2023 season.

The tigers really frustrate me and the nrl community that talks about them do as well. They are not in as bad a rut as people say they are, they have got $1m cap space and Tamou and I presume Brooks (who are there only real players they are “overpaying” now) will leave in the next year. Its just frustrating because its so obvious that they need to just build up there juniors more (and there juniors arent even horrible as it is) and start playing them, instead of signing the big name player just leaving there peak. I get you have to have experience and leadership in a team, but its the fact they keep throwing those 2-3 year contracts out with 500k+ salaries. And almost every NRL fan bites on it and says at the time that its a good signing and then says in hindsight “oh what a blinder”. The tigers need to forget those big names, the successes in signing players recently have been signing the young players benched at bigger teams because they havent had enough time to prove themselves (utoikamanu, laurie, doueihi, twal etc). Why not go to the dragons who have just signed a bunch of players and are going to be struggling with the cap and ask Talatau Amone to join (a man not starting every game). Or why not go to the raiders and promise Clay Webb more minutes, go to the roosters and promise one of the butcher brothers a lot of starting minutes. And even if the Tigers want to sign “big name players” then just go to a team who has a young player they would be willing to let go of, perhaps a chanel harris tavita from the warriors (who would be willing because they are trying for joey manu to play there). Or go to the sharks and ask braydon trindall to join as he looks like he might not start every game. Its just stupid, the tigers operate in such a stupid and backwards way. Like go and hire 1000 more scouts and send them to local junior games to look for talent. The blueprint is literally there with the big teams, its not an overnight fix. More talented young players will actually want to join your club as well because they will see that the tigers give youngsters a chance. Overall sign mark nicholls on a 7 year $1m per season contract.

1 COMMENT

October 18, 2021 At 12:25 am

The tigers really frustrate me and the nrl community that talks about them do as well. They are not in as bad a rut as people say they are, they have got $1m cap space and Tamou and I presume Brooks (who are there only real players they are “overpaying” now) will leave in the next year. Its just frustrating because its so obvious that they need to just build up there juniors more (and there juniors arent even horrible as it is) and start playing them, instead of signing the big name player just leaving there peak. I get you have to have experience and leadership in a team, but its the fact they keep throwing those 2-3 year contracts out with 500k+ salaries. And almost every NRL fan bites on it and says at the time that its a good signing and then says in hindsight “oh what a blinder”. The tigers need to forget those big names, the successes in signing players recently have been signing the young players benched at bigger teams because they havent had enough time to prove themselves (utoikamanu, laurie, doueihi, twal etc). Why not go to the dragons who have just signed a bunch of players and are going to be struggling with the cap and ask Talatau Amone to join (a man not starting every game). Or why not go to the raiders and promise Clay Webb more minutes, go to the roosters and promise one of the butcher brothers a lot of starting minutes. And even if the Tigers want to sign “big name players” then just go to a team who has a young player they would be willing to let go of, perhaps a chanel harris tavita from the warriors (who would be willing because they are trying for joey manu to play there). Or go to the sharks and ask braydon trindall to join as he looks like he might not start every game. Its just stupid, the tigers operate in such a stupid and backwards way. Like go and hire 1000 more scouts and send them to local junior games to look for talent. The blueprint is literally there with the big teams, its not an overnight fix. More talented young players will actually want to join your club as well because they will see that the tigers give youngsters a chance. Overall sign mark nicholls on a 7 year $1m per season contract.