ST HELENS head coach Paul Wellens has had his say on Lewis Dodd speculation.
The halfback has been linked with a move to the NRL after striking up a deal with leading NRL agent George Mimis, with Saints CEO Mike Rush saying recently: “Lewis has expressed a desire to play NRL,” Rush told the Daily Telegraph. “And I’m sure George Mimis will eventually be shopping him around.
“We’d never let him go early because it sets a precedent. We don’t want a player saying ‘you did it for him, why can’t you do it for me?’”
For Saints head coach Wellens, however, he is focused on helping to improve Dodd.
“I don’t pay too much attention, Lewis Dodd is our player in 2023 and 2024,” Wellens said.
“My job here as a coach is do all I can to improve Lewis and all of our players as long as they are here. The speculation is what it is and you can never ask for that to go away.
“What is important for us as team and Lewis as a player is to work hard and perform well and everything else will take care of itself.
“He is a fantastic player and one we hold in the highest regard. We would love him to be here not just next year but for many years to come.”
Wellens was also asked whether such speculation can unsettle players, but the former Saints fullback was keen to stress that it differs from person to person.
“I’ve had a chat with Lewis and a lot of players in different circumstances. What I want to do is help Lewis to perform like I do any player.
“Having those conversations is always important, does it unsettle him? Each individual reacts differently to those situations.
