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.
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.
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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.
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.