South Sydney's coaching predicament will be discussed at the Rabbitohs' monthly board meeting on Tuesday night as uncertainty lingers over the timing of Anthony Seibold and Wayne Bennett's eventual swap.
Seibold was at work with Rabbitohs players on Monday, but there is still no guarantee he will be with them when they face the Sydney Roosters in round one come March.
Speculation has mounted since he signed with Brisbane for 2020 four weeks ago that he could head north earlier, as part of a direct swap with Bennett.
Bennett is also signed to join Souths in 2020, and declared on the weekend he wouldn't be leaving Brisbane any earlier after Broncos chairman Karl Morris told him he'd be kept on for 2019.
However it's widely believed the Rabbitohs were originally expecting Bennett to arrive as soon as next week, on time to lead a pre-season camp with a number of their big names returning to training.
Tuesday's board meeting has been long scheduled and has not been specially convened in response to the coaching situation, but it's understood it will form part of the usual football department agenda item.
Timing is now crucial with less than a month remaining before players break pre-season for Christmas and return for the run into kick off.
Bennett has been particularly vocal following his meeting with Morris on Saturday.
He' insisted he'd have no conflict of interest staying in Brisbane for another year, denied seeking a $1 million pay day from the Broncos for his release and taken the dramatic step of accusing club bosses of going missing in action to the media throughout the saga.
But the reality is he can't lose, already having the support of an exciting young Brisbane playing group after the club made the decision not to keep him on as head coach beyond the end of 2019.
For Seibold, the situation is far more difficult given he was the one who made the call to move back home to Queensland and his immediate future almost certainly rests in the hands of others.
He has also had to deny reports of discontent within the Souths playing group at his decision, however it should be noted he was a very popular figure with the team in his first season.
The two coaches could come face to face as soon as Thursday at an NRL coaches conference in Sydney, although it's unknown if Bennett will travel from Brisbane for the meeting.
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