The Canberra Raiders have given Hodgson permission to speak to other clubs, with the Tigers offering the former Green Machine captain a two-year deal.

He's currently contracted to Canberra for next season, but they won't stand in his way if he can find a longer deal elsewhere.

Having just extended and upgraded Tom Starling, the Raiders won't offer Hodgson another contract beyond his current one.

There could be another spanner in the Hodgson-Tigers works, with Penrith's premiership-winning hooker Api Koroisau also linked with a move to Wests.

While he's contracted to the Panthers for next year, salary cap pressure could force him away from the foot of the mountain.

The ball's in the Tigers' court if they want the Hodgson deal to go through.

He would add vital leadership, as well as his guile out of dummy half.

But he's held in high regard at Raiders HQ and they're more than willing to keep him for the 2022 season.

Along with Starling, they have 20-year-old hooker Adrian Trevilyan on their books, and half Matt Frawley has also played dummy half.

Hartigan had talked to the Raiders about gaining Hodgson's release, with the Tigers hoping Canberra will pay some of his 2022 wages.

But his sacking has stalled talks, with Sheens keen to inspect Wests' salary cap and discuss things with Tigers coach Michael Maguire - via Zoom.

"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," Raiders recruitment boss Peter Mulholland said.

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

The Raiders were offered former Gold Coast hooker Mitch Rein a while ago, but it's believed Canberra weren't considering him if Hodgson does leave.

Gold Coast didn't renew Rein's contract when it ended and he's been linked with a move to Parramatta.

But they could be set to land Adam Elliott, who Canterbury sacked due to off-field issues.

He was considered to be a longshot to join the Green Machine, with the Tigers also circling the 27-year-old, but not out of the question.

It appears those odds are shortening as the lock-second rower looks to resurrect his NRL career.

Meanwhile, Canberra product Nick Cotric's been linked with a move to the Parramatta Eels after just one season of a lucrative three-year deal with the Bulldogs.

The Eels need to bolster their outside backs following the departure of Blake Ferguson and the Bulldogs have salary cap pressure.