The Super League stars who could follow Lewis Dodd to the NRL

St Helens fans did not get long to bask in the glory of Friday night’s victory over Huddersfield Giants. The collective coffee spit of shock was audible across Merseyside as news broken that Lewis Dodd is reportedly moving to South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Dodd, a product of the Saints academy, has been a key part of Saints’ success in recent years. Most famously, Dodd kicked the drop goal to secure the World Club Championship against NRL champions, Penrith Panthers, in 2023 and that has left him with a sky-high reputation down under.

Who could follow Lewis Dodd to the NRL?

The Daily Telegraph were the first to report that Dodd is on his way down under at the end of the 2024 season and there was also a suggestion that Mark Ellison, Souths’ recruitment chief, will meet multiple transfer targets whilst in England to agree terms with Dodd. This will be a worry for Super League fans everywhere who should be fearing that their talent might be prised away.

Serious About Rugby League now looked at which Super League targets may be on a flight to Australia with Dodd at the end of the season.

Tom Amone

According to WA Today, Ellison is interested in securing a prop and a winger whilst in the UK. Tom Amone fits the bill perfectly. The star Leigh man is off contract at the end of the season and has been crucial to the Leopards since joining for the 2022 season.

Amone made his NRL debut for the Souths in 2019, playing 9 times, before moving to Wests Tigers. At Leigh, he was instrumental in their promotion back to Super League and was part of their Challenge Cup winning side in 2023. He played a key role in Leigh’s win over the Catalans Dragons, with 18 carries making 160 metres, and 32 tackles.

Derek Beaumont has recently spoken of Leigh’s salary cap restrictions. As a result, the Leopards may be unable to make an offer to convince Amone to stay.

Jon Bennison

Jon Bennison, a teammate of Lewis Dodd, is another product of the club’s academy with a huge future in the game. He made his Saints first team debut in 2021, but 2022 was his breakthrough year. In September 2022, he scored a try in Saints’ Grand Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos, to win their fourth consecutive Grand Final.

Bennison is another who is off-contract at the end of the year. He has played every game for St Helens this season, scoring two tries. At 21, he has huge potential for development.

NRL clubs have shown that they are willing to sign development prospects in the past. Players such as Dom Young and Lewis Murphy made the move to the NRL before they established themselves as Super League regulars. With the Souths searching for a winger, Bennison may be a good fit.

Umyla Hanley

Umyla Hanley is another winger who would fit the Souths’ requirements. In his breakthrough season in Super League, he has played six games and scored six tries. He has scored two hat-tricks, one against Wigan in the league, and one against Featherstone in the Challenge Cup.

Equally impressive are his ball-carrying stats. Hanley has seven clean breaks and 21 tackle busts in his six appearances, along with 794 metres made. The talented speedster is off-contract at the end of the season and would be a strong option for the Souths.

Hanley also has a family connection, with his father, Ellery Hanley, having spent time in Australia during his career. The Great Britain legend had spells with Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs in the 1980s.

Rhyse Martin

Leeds Rhinos second-rower, Rhyse Martin, is not necessarily on Souths’ radar but reports frequently link Martin with a return to the NRL. Martin has been a key player in the Leeds side since he joined in 2019 from Canterbury Bulldogs and is a superb goalkicker.

Most recently, Martin is reportedly a major target for the new NRL side in Papua New Guniea. As the PNG captain, the franchise would like him to be their first signing, should the project get off the ground. He is also reportedly on the radar of the Dolphins.

The PNG icon is another player who is off contract at the end of the 2024 season. Until Martin signs a new deal with the Rhinos, transfer rumours will continue to gather pace.