Lewis Dodd, star of
St Helens RLFC in the
Super League and arguably the best young talent in rugby league, has refused to rule out a future move to the
NRL.
Off-contract at the end of the 2024 season, the future English international is remembered in
Australia as the player who led his club to defeat the
Penrith Panthers in the 2023 World Club Challenge.
It is understood that while he may be off-contract at the end of next season, he does have an option with
St Helens RLFC to extend his tenure at the club, but there has yet to be an update on this situation.
However, he could be set to make more memories in
Australia with the playmaker refusing to rule out a future move to the
NRL.
A product of the renowned St Helens Academy, he signed with the club at the age of 15 before making his
Super League debut three years later. Now 59 games into his career, Dodd could be looking at a change of scenery.
I don't know. You never know what is around the corner. What I've got to focus on - and what the lads have to focus on - is we're going into a new season and we're not champions," Dodd told UK publication
The Mirror
If we talk again at the end of the year and we're champions, that's probably a better time to talk. But we've got a job to do this year and that's what me and the rest of the lads are focused on.”
If he does move to the
NRL, the
Canberra Raiders,
Canterbury Bulldogs, and
St George Illawarra Dragons will be the three main teams showing interest in Dodd due to their lack of halves.
His signing for the Raiders would be invaluable after they lost
Jack Wighton,
Matt Frawley and
Brad Schneider. The club is struggling in experience and desperately needs a star to partner with young guns
Kaeo Weekes and
Ethan Strange.
The same can be said for the Dragons, who have failed to recruit a star playmaker -
Ben Hunt is also set to depart the club at the end of his contract. They have also recently lost
Talatau Amone and
Ronald Volkman due to unforeseen circumstances.
Despite the Bulldogs having
Matt Burton and
Toby Sexton as their current halves pairing and having some great youngsters in
Mitchell Woods and
Alex Conti coming through their pathways system, Dodd would easily be the number one choice.
It would also allow Burton to move back into the centres and create a lethal outside-back partnership with
Stephen Crichton,
Josh Addo-Carr and
Jacob Kiraz.
