Josh Hodgson’s high-profile move to the Wests Tigers could be completed in the next few days.
That’s according to the Sydney Morning Herald which has revealed that Hodgson will be back training the Canberra Raiders on Friday as the move continues to drag out.
The Englishman wants a new life under Michael Maguire at the Tigers, but the Concord club are unwilling to pay over half a million Australian dollars for Hodgson – even though the Raiders have paid the hooker’s salary for the first month of the NRL’s financial season.
Though Wests are willing to offer Hodgson a two-year contract, they will not hand the 32-year-old a contract if they cannot get the Englishman for 2022.
Canberra are, however, keen to promote from within with Tom Starling gearing up to be first choice number nine from 2022 onwards – which could be the final nail in Hodgson’s Raiders career.
Starling, meanwhile, has been spoken to by police in New South Wales for the second time in under a year after trying to attend a club – only to be refused entry – which could jeopardise Starling’s future at Canberra, as well as potentially throwing Hodgson’s transfer away from the Raiders into question.
Hodgson has been a firm fan favourite in the Australian capital since joining in 2015, with over 150 games under his belt for the Raiders, but his contract runs out at the end of 2022 and Canberra are keen to part ways now.
