The Canberra Raiders are anticipating hooker Josh Hodgson to report to day one of preseason training this week, despite recent speculation surrounding his immediate future which has been linked to the Wests Tigers.
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Hodgson is scheduled to report for testing on Friday alongside his NRL teammates, and the Raiders' coaching staff expect the 32-year-old to take his place at the club's Braddon headquarters.
Suggestions the Englishman was being pursued by the Tigers emerged last month, although any deal which facilitates a potential switch to the joint venture appears to have hit a roadblock with the two clubs reportedly unable to agree upon how much each team should pay of Hodgson's 2022 contract, believed to be worth $900,000.
He declined to comment on his immediate future when contacted by The Canberra Times on Tuesday.
The 2022 season would be Hodgson's eighth at the Raiders, should he remain in the capital, and the last of a long-term contract he signed in 2017.
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After playing a key role in steering the side to the 2019 NRL decider, the club's first grand final in 25 years, Hodgson suffered a knee injury which wrote off the majority of his season last year.
Earlier this year he stepped down from the co-captaincy, and spent the season in and out of Stuart's starting 13 with young gun Tom Starling spending plenty of time in the number nine jersey.
Starling is also contracted until the end of 2022, but is held in high esteem by the club which is keen to extend that deal. Queenslander Adrian Trevilyan also offers depth at hooker, although remains in the Raiders' ongoing training group.
Meanwhile, the NSW Rugby League is expected to release its NSW Cup draw in December, which is likely to rule out a potential cross-code double header at Canberra Stadium on March 26.
The Raiders will host the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday night in round three at Canberra Stadium next year, on the same weekend the Brumbies are due to host New Zealand's Waikato Chiefs.
Should the Raiders' NSW Cup side be scheduled to play at home that weekend, the match would likely be a curtain raiser to the clash with the Titans ruling out an early afternoon Super Rugby game.
Stadium staff would require at least four hours to make the venue suitable for NRL after a Super Rugby match.
The Brumbies are exploring other options for the fixture, which include playing it at 5.30pm on Friday, March 25, or switching the game to Manuka Oval or Viking Park.
"The ACT Government will work with the Brumbies and Rugby Australia to ensure the best outcome with the available dates for the Brumbies and Super Rugby," ACT Sport Minister Yvette Berry said.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
