When St Helens faced up against Hull KR in the Super League on Saturday (AEST), there were plenty of former NRL stars to watch.
Peta Hiku, Tyrone May, Konrad Hurrell, Moses Mbye, Sione Mata’utia, Waqa Blake, Curtis Sironen – take your pick.
But it was the man in the No.7 jersey for St Helens, Lewis Dodd, who came with the most interest.
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Dodd ran on to the field knowing his future had been signed, sealed and delivered with the Rabbitohs announcing a three-year deal not long after the game was completed.
It wasn’t the most inspiring match from the halfback, whose third kick was charged down before Hull scored off the next set through May. The try assist went to opposite number Mikey Lewis with a pinpoint kick.
St Helens went on to lose 40-20 in an uncharacteristic performance and as such went from first to third on the ladder.
How Dodd fits into the Rabbitohs side will be interesting.
He’s a left-footed kicker, just like Cody Walker.
There’s no chance he’ll partner right-footed kicker Lachlan Ilias, with the former’s management requesting permission to negotiate with rivals immediately after reports emerged about the pursuit of Dodd.
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With Dodd previously playing under Dolphins assistant Kristian Woolf at St Helens, there were suggestions Wayne Bennett was involved in the deal ahead of his possible return to South Sydney.
In typical Bennett fashion, that rumour was flat out denied in a press conference.
“I don’t know anything about Dodd so how could I think anything about him? I have never seen him play,” he said.
“I had nothing to do with it. It wasn’t my decision.”
South Sydney was determined to sign him, with head of football Mark Ellison travelling to the UK to snag the 22-year-old.
And why not?
In February 2023, he and Jack Welsby led St Helens to a 13-12 World Club Challenge victory over Penrith.
Dodd was the man who kicked the field goal in golden point to sink the hearts of Panthers fans. In 2021 he won a Super League grand final in his teens.
And if NRL Immortal Andrew Johns‘ words are to go by, then he’s something special.
“He’s a really good player, I’ve been tipped off about Lewis Dodd for a couple of years that he was right up to the NRL,” he said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show two weeks ago.
“The big challenge is if you look over the last 30 years, the English imports who have come to Australia and been successful have been mostly forwards.
“If I think about a halfback, probably George Williams at Canberra (is the only one that) had some success … (but) I’m hearing really good things about Lewis Dodd; tough and knows his way around the field so I look forward to seeing how he goes.”
The last part of Johns’ point is important.
English forwards have been a big hit in the NRL. Think Sam Burgess, James Graham, Gareth Ellis and now Morgan Smithies is starting to emerge at the Raiders.
But backs and halves have struggled – with the exception of Williams. You have to go back to 1989 to see an Englishman dominate in the halves when Andy Gregory played for Illawarra.
Gregory was named man of the match for the Steelers in a 20-22 loss to Brisbane in the Panasonic Cup final. Albeit, he only played nine matches in the NSWRL. His reputation lives on in Australia, though, with Matty Johns recently referencing him on SEN when discussing the halves who have succeeded in Australia.
Sam Tomkins came over to the Warriors as a really exciting prospect, but struggled to hit the heights of his Super League career.
More recently, centre Oliver Gildart hardly cracked the first team at the Tigers, Roosters and Dolphins. Kallum Watkins also struggled at the Titans. Towering winger Dom Young is bucking the trend for English outside backs, having impressed at the Knights and now doing the same for the Roosters.
Speaking on Nine’s 100% Footy, Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould flagged the lack of English backs who have dominated the NRL while also noting an injury that hampered Dodd in 2022 and stopped him from playing in a grand final.
“He’s a good player … he had a tough time the year before last when he had an Achilles injury and he was out for some time,” he said.
“He’s certainly a good attacking player but how many backs, how many halves have come out to Australia from England and actually made their mark out here over the decades? I don’t know.”
Gould also revealed the Bulldogs declined to offer a contract to Dodd, with reports suggesting the Rabbitohs are paying him $600,000 a season.
“We considered it too big a risk at the money in that regard and we’re going to persevere with younger fellas that are at our club,” he said.
While there is concern over Dodd’s signing, the halfback has some important backers.
Graham, a former teammate at St Helens watched him up close and knew there was plenty of potential there from the moment he laid eyes on him.
“When I went back in 2020 with St Helens I didn’t know much about this kid, Lewis Dodd, but immediately I did because we do 13 on 13, the starting team against reserves, and he would tear us to shreds,” he said on The Footy Talk podcast.
“That’s when you know there’s something about this kid, he’s going to go places and then as a fan of St Helens I’ve watched him win grand finals, I was there at Penrith where he kicked the game winning field goal.
“Speaking about moments, I think at the time he was 20, for him to ice that moment and win the game at the home of the back-to-back champions, that’s a pretty difficult thing to execute and he did … I think coming over here will better him as a player.
“For Lewis Dodd, coming over in the specialist halfback position, it is going to be difficult … there’s a lot of responsibility at a huge club like South Sydney, it’s a big task, but he’s up to it.”
Former NSW Blues half Josh Reynolds, who played 25 games for Hull FC in the Super League added he was highly impressed by what he saw.
“The games I saw him play over there, he just takes full control over games, a nice left-footer on the left side, he plays nice and direct.
“He was the only guy I could definitely say he could have a crack in the NRL.”
The proof will be in the pudding come next season. South Sydney is in a crisis, and the fans will hope success can be immediate.
Whether Dodd can buck the trend of similar English players before him remains to be seen. He may have a wily mentor though if the seven-time premiership winner Bennett returns.