FORMER ST HELENS stalwart James Graham has claimed that St Helens halfback Lewis Dodd could become “one of England’s greatest” if he makes the move to the NRL.
Dodd has been heavily linked with a move to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, with the Daily Telegraph speculating that a deal was about to be concluded.
South Sydney’s football manager Mark Ellison is flying to England in the next few days to strike up the deal with 22-year-old Dodd showing his worth to Australia when he kicked the winning drop goal in Saints’ World Club Challenge win over Penrith Panthers two years ago, whilst the halfback won the 2021 Super League Grand Final still in his teens.
Graham, who himself is a Saints legend, hailed the young halfback on the Sunday Sin Bin podcast.
“Lewis Dodd would be a fantastic addition. This kid is all quality and all class. When I went back over to play with St Helens in 2020, he would have been at maybe 18 at the time,” Graham said.
“In training when the first 13 play against the reserves, and the reserves throw some shape at you and test you defensively. Well, this kid was all over us at times and was a real handful.
“You could see there was something about him and I remember thinking ‘This kid’s going to go places’ and he’s had a fantastic career over there.
“We saw him come over here and play in the World Cup Challenge, go to Penrith, kick the game-winning field goal in a World Cup Challenge. He’s had an amazing career so far.”
Graham went further, explaining how Dodd could become “one of England’s greatest” in the NRL.
“We’ve seen many forwards come out here. It’s almost an easier place to play and ply your trade as a forward,” Graham continued.
“When you come in a specialist position with so much responsibility that then therefore naturally increases the level of difficulty, and Lewis Dodd needs to be ready for the public scrutiny, the media scrutiny, everything that comes with it.
“But there’s a huge upside if he gets it right at South Sydney. He could go down as one of England’s greatest if he can achieve things here.”
