English international Lewis Dodd is reportedly on the verge of a shock exit from the South Sydney Rabbitohs, just months after arriving at the NRL club ahead of the 2025 season.
Dodd was one of three new halves recruited by veteran coach Wayne Bennett, alongside Jamie Humphreys from the Manly Sea Eagles and Jayden Sullivan from the Wests Tigers. Dodd, who joined the Rabbitohs from English Super League powerhouse St Helens, arrived with high expectations and a lucrative three-year contract. However, his impact has been underwhelming.
While both Humphreys and Sullivan have impressed in their debut seasons, Dodd has struggled to find form and opportunity.
The 22-year-old has made just three NRL appearances this year, spending the majority of his time playing in the NSW Cup, where his performances have also failed to impress.
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With South Sydney continuing to experiment with their halves combinations, including the likes of Jack Wighton and Jye Gray, Dodd has fallen further down the pecking order.
The speculation around his future intensified following the club's announcement that Jonah Glover will leave the St George Illawarra Dragons and join the Rabbitohs in 2026.
Less than 24 hours later, reports emerged that Dodd’s management is set to meet with South Sydney to discuss his position at the club.
“I'm hearing that Souths are really having second thoughts about his three-year contract,” The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield revealed on Triple M NRL Daily.
“They will soon have talks with his agent about his future with the club, whether that’s a return to England or shopping him to another NRL side. Even his NSW Cup form hasn’t been particularly strong, and it just hasn’t worked out.”
While Rothfield added that Dodd is well-liked within the team environment, confidence in his on-field performance appears to be dwindling.
“I think Souths will give him the rest of the year, but moving forward, I just don’t think it’s going to happen for him. They really like him, he’s a lot of fun to be around, but there’s not a lot of belief in his football right now,” Rothfield said.
As contract talks loom, Dodd’s short-lived stint in the NRL could be coming to an early end, a return to the Super League or a move to another NRL club is now seemingly on the table.