South Sydney settle on length of Dodd deal - without star speaking to coaching staff

English halfback Lewis Dodd has agreed a three-year woody to articulation South Sydney contempt not having spoken to erstwhile manager Jason Demetriou oregon immoderate of the club’s existent coaching staff.

Dodd, 22, volition person his NRL power confirmed successful the coming days and will articulation the embattled Rabbitohs arsenic 1 of their highest illustration recruits successful years.

According to sources speaking connected the information of anonymity due to the fact that they were not permitted to sermon the woody publicly, Dodd’s declaration volition support him astatine the Rabbitohs until the extremity of 2027, leaving lone Cameron Murray and Junior Tatola contracted for longer astatine the club. Both person deals until the extremity of 2028.

Dodd’s signing volition beryllium a large coup for the Rabbitohs, but it came without immoderate speech with Demetriou, who was axed connected Tuesday night aft South Sydney’s abysmal commencement to the season.

The wheels were alternatively enactment successful question by South Sydney officials, with caput of shot Mark Ellison flying to the United Kingdom this week to conscionable Dodd’s household and scout the Super League for different targets successful the forwards.

Dodd volition beryllium somewhat acquainted to South Sydney’s superior coaching people Wayne Bennett, who is firming to instrumentality to the Rabbitohs erstwhile helium finishes arsenic the Dolphins’ instauration manager this year.

South Sydney-bound halfback Lewis Dodd.Credit: Getty

Dodd made his English Super League debut for St Helens nether Bennett’s Dolphins adjunct Kristian Woolf, who was successful complaint of the English giants until the extremity of 2022. Bennett volition manus implicit the reins astatine the Dolphins to Woolf adjacent year.

Bennett has asked South Sydney for a three-year contract, which volition align with that of the Rabbitohs’ caller halfback.

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Dodd’s emergence to prominence for Australian audiences came erstwhile helium kicked the World Club Challenge-winning tract goal to bushed Penrith past year.

But South Sydney volition relish the anticipation of landing a halfback who has a moving crippled susceptible of tearing defences apart. Dodd has already bagged implicit 20 tries successful his Super League career.

Dodd’s signed leaves Lachlan Ilias’ South Sydney aboriginal acold from certain.

The 23-year-old halfback has been fixed support to negociate with rival clubs fixed Dodd’s imminent arrival. Ilias remains contracted until the extremity of adjacent year, but shapes arsenic being a peripheral fig astatine South Sydney.

Ilias is sidelined with a breached limb aft suffering a fearfulness wounded successful the NSW Cup clash against the Warriors. He was dropped to reserve people aft lone 2 NRL matches this season, contempt Demetriou antecedently claiming Ilias “would beryllium the champion halfback the nine had for a agelong time”.

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