Hollie-Mae Dodd the first English player to sign a deal in the women's NRL after joining Canberra Raiders from York Valkyrie; Dodd was named RFL Women's Young Player of the year in 2022 and is youngest to feature in a Challenge Cup final, doing so for Castleford Tigers at age of 16
Friday 14 April 2023 13:52, UK
Hollie-Mae Dodd has become the first Englishwoman to sign a professional rugby league deal in Australia after swapping York Valkyrie for Canberra Raiders.
Dodd, 19, is set to link up with the women's NRL side next month ahead of the new season beginning in July.
The loose forward played for Valkyrie on Easter Sunday as the team beat Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos 34-12 at Headingley and remains eligible for selection for now.
Dodd was named the RFL Women's Young Player of the Year in 2022 as York won a maiden League Leaders' Shield, while she became the youngest player to feature in the Challenge Cup final, doing so at the age of 16 for former club Castleford Tigers in 2019.
She played four times for England at the 2021 World Cup, scoring two tries.
Dodd told the Raiders website: "I am super grateful and excited to be on board at Canberra. I've heard so many good things about the city and I'm more than looking forward to representing the badge.
"I knew now was the time for a challenge within myself therefore, coming over and playing in the NRLW I'm ready to learn off world class athletes to help my development within the game.
"Training and playing as a professional athlete in the sport I have love for has been a dream of mine ever since being a child."
Dodd told Valkyrie's website: "I've loved my time here at York and last year was the best season of my rugby career, winning the League Leaders' Shield.
"As soon as I arrived at York, the girls were really welcoming and I will miss them a lot. But this opportunity, to play in Australia, which has been one of my life-long dreams, was one that I couldn't turn down."
Raiders coach Darrin Borthwick said: "I obviously watched a fair bit of the World Cup and Hollie was a good performer for England. We've had a few Zoom calls with her and she fits the mould to what we want here as well.
"She's a really good person and she was really good to talk to and to top it all off she's a good player as well."
York RLFC chairman Clint Goodchild said of Dodd: "Hollie is one of the trailblazers of the women's game. We couldn't be prouder and more supportive of her.
"At 19, Hollie is still so young and her best rugby is a long way ahead of her, which is scary for opposition sides to think about, given how good she is right now.
"As a club, we'll be sitting down with Hollie next week to make sure that she has everything that she needs to be successful in Australia.
"Personally, I'm hoping to find a window to be able go over there to watch her play and learn more from what the NRLW is doing this year.
"The hope is that we can bring our players to the top level. I think that it's the responsibility, not just of this club, but the whole game over here, to raise the standard of the competition.
"We're all taking strides in the right direction, it's just a matter of how long it's going to take, not if it's going to happen."
Leeds duo Georgia Roche and Fran Goldthorp are also expected to move to NRLW clubs over the next few days.
