Lewis Dodd suffers fresh South Sydney blow as NRL woes continue

Lewis Dodd has been left out of South Sydney Rabbitohs’ New South Wales Cup side this week, as his difficult start to life in the NRL continues.

Dodd has struggled to break into the Bunnies’ first-grade side since moving to the club from St Helens at the beginning of this season.

He has played just three times, with two of those appearances coming from the bench for Wayne Bennett. But he was dropped to Souths’ NSW Cup side last weekend, starting at half-back in a defeat to Wests.

But this weekend, with the Bunnies having a bye due to State of Origin, Dodd hasn’t even made the 17 that will take on North Sydney for the Mario Fenech Cup.

Josh Schuster remains in the halves but Ashton Ward will partner him, with Dodd not involved in Souths’ squad.

St Helens legend James Graham said earlier this month that he felt the writing was ‘on the wall’ in terms of Dodd’s Rabbitohs career, and implored the half-back’s management to look at a move elsewhere.

With so many other options in the spine, Graham believed the right thing to do was for Dodd to look elsewhere to continue his career.

He said on The Bye Round: “I think the writing is on the wall for Lewis Dodd at Souths. They had (Cody) Walker and (Jamie) Humphreys not available, who seem to be the starting choice.

“Latrell (Mitchell) went there then you had (Jack) Wighton) go there and you had (Jayden) Sullivan go there so he is basically fifth or sixth choice half-back.

“For me, I think his management really need to look at who needs a seven. I don’t want to see him leave the NRL.”

However, it remains to be seen whether or not Dodd can land a move elsewhere or whether he will stay at Souths and fight for his place in Bennett’s team.

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