Lewis Dodd might be starring at the heart of the St Helens team this season, but he still has to double check every week to make sure he’s in the team.
The 20-year-old has been one of Super League’s most promising young talents since making his debut against Wigan Warriors in September 2020.
Having forced his way into a regular starting role in the second half of last season, culminating in a start at halfback in Saints’ Grand Final victory, he now wears the number seven shirt.
Not that Dodd feels he has made it yet, still occupying a “weird” place between being so young and being such a key player.
“In my head I still think I’m a young lad, and every time Woolfy (coach Kristian Woolf) tells us the team at the start of the week I still look for my name to see if I’m there,” he said.
“Some people class me as a first teamer, but I just think I’m the luckiest lad in the world to get to run out there every week. It’s unbelievable.”
Dodd has been producing the goods so far this year, helping Kristian Woolf’s side win nine of their ten matches in all competitions, although he will be missing from the Saints’ side today against Huddersfield Giants after suffering an injury against Wigan on Friday.
Even so, the pressure of being halfback for the champions certainly doesn’t seem to be getting to him, as he continues to play with a refreshing amount of freedom.
Dodd said: “That’s testament to Woolfy; he’s drilled into me the skills that you need to be a halfback at this level, but he’s also given me the freedom to do what’s got me to this level.
“I’m just trying to get that consistency in my rugby, playing every week to the best of my ability.
“This team and this town deserves silverware and I know I’ve got to be at my best every week for that to happen.”
He admits he couldn’t ask for many better players to be playing and learning alongside than halves partner Jonny Lomax and skipper James Roby.
Lomax has been hugely impressed by the rise of Dodd, both by the commitment he shows off the field and by the skills he has on it that he believes sets the youngster up for a great career.
“There’s certain things he does where you think ‘flipping heck’,” said Lomax.
“Doddy’s run threat is massive. He’s got a fantastic kicking game and he’s getting us around the field well.
“And something that probably doesn’t get noticed at halfback is that he’s a fantastic defender and a great athlete. That gives him a great platform to develop from.
“With those traits, his ball-playing ability, his run threat, and his kicking game, that sets him up really nicely to go and be a quality halfback for a very long time.”
Dodd could soon be playing alongside Lomax for country as well as club, having been called up to Shaun Wane’s England training squad at the beginning of this World Cup year.
“There would be no higher honour than to play for your country,” said Dodd.
“When Shaun called me to invite me to the training squad it was very special.
“I’m just a young lad, I get to do what I love at the weekend and play rugby. I’d never thought about any accolades like that, so to get the call-up was a shock, but I was very happy.
“I’d love to play in (the World Cup) but the only thing I can do is play well week in, week out. My name doesn’t get mentioned if I don’t play well.”
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