Hollie-Mae Dodd Explained

Hollie-Mae Dodd
Birth Date:26 July 2003[1]
Birth Place:England
Year1start:2019
Year1end:21
Club2:York Valkyrie
Year2start:2022
Year2end:23
Appearances2:4
Tries2:4
Goals2:0
Fieldgoals2:0
Points2:16
Club3:Canberra Raiders
Year3start:2023
Year3end:present
Appearances3:7
Tries3:1
Goals3:0
Fieldgoals3:0
Points3:4
Teama:England
Yearastart:2021
Appearancesa:8
Triesa:5
Goalsa:0
Fieldgoalsa:0
Pointsa:20
Updated:1 November 2023
Source:[2]

Hollie-Mae Dodd (born 26 July 2003) is an England international rugby league player. Dodd plays for Canberra Raiders in the NRL Women's Premiership having previously played for York Valkyrie and Castleford Tigers in the Women's Super League. Dodd plays as a or a .

Dodd was a student at Castleford Academy where she was player in school teams that reached four Champion Schools finals between 2015 and 2018 and won three of them (runners up in 2017). Dodd scored tries in each of the finals: 2015 (3), 2016 (2), 2017 (2) and 2018 (2).[3] [4] [5] [6]

Dodd played for Castleford Tigers making her debut in the final of the 2019 Women's Challenge Cup on 27 July 2019. The match was the day after her 16th birthday and made Dodd the youngest player, female or male, to appear in a Challenge Cup final.[7] The same season, Castleford won the Super League league leaders' shield and went on to reach the Super League grand final only to have the disappointment of losing to Leeds again, with Dodd playing at second-row.[8]

With the 2020 season abandoned due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not until 2021 that Dodd's career continued. Playing for Castleford she helps the team to finish the Super League season in fifth place and to reach the play-off semi-finals. During the season she made her debut scoring a try in a 60–0 win over in June.[9] A second England appearance was made in October against .[10]

In December 2021 Dodd left Castleford to join York.[11] During the 2022 season Dodd was part of the York side that won the league leaders' shield and reach the grand final. Dodd played in the grand final where the team lost to Leeds Rhinos.[12] Two further England caps were won, in the mid-season internationals against Wales and France, with Dodd scoring a try in each.[13]

Dodd was named the Super League Young Player of the Year at the end of season awards in September 2022.[14] The same month Dodd was named in the England squad for the World Cup.[15]

In April 2023 Dodd signed for Canberra Raiders in the NRL Women's Premiership becoming the first English player signed for a club in the competition.[16] On 6 August, Dodd became the first English player to score a try in the NRLW as the Raiders won 28–22 over Wests Tigers.[17] [18] In September, Dodd suffered a knee injury in the game against North Queensland Cowboys and missed the remainder of the 2023 season.[19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ladies Players . York City Knights . 20 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926212836/https://yorkcityknights.com/ladies-players/ . 26 September 2022 . dead.
  2. Web site: Hollie Dodd . National Rugby League . 20 October 2022.
  3. Web site: Champion Schools Final Girls Year 7 . Rugby-League.com . 1 September 2015 . 4 May 2023.
  4. Web site: #ChampSchools round-up . Rugby-League.com . 28 August 2016 . 4 May 2023.
  5. Web site: Year 9 Girls Outwood Grange 34-12 Castleford Academy . Rugby-League.com . 29 August 2017 . 4 May 2023.
  6. Web site: Champion Schools Year 10 Girls' final - Castleford Academy v Astley . Rugby-League.com . 18 July 2018 . 4 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230504180325/https://www.rugby-league.com/article/52888/ . 4 May 2023.
  7. News: Field . Pippa . Courtney Hill grabs decisive try as Leeds Rhinos beat Castleford Tigers to retain Challenge Cup . 20 October 2022 . The Telegraph . 27 July 2019.
  8. News: Leeds win Women's Super League to complete double . BBC Sport . 11 October 2019.
  9. News: England Women 60-0 Wales Women: England score 11 tries in rout . Sky Sports . 26 June 2021.
  10. News: Rugby League . 20 October 2022 . SkySports . 23 October 2022.
  11. News: Walker . Callum . York poach former Woman of Steel Hollie Dodd who reveals reason for her exit . 20 October 2022 . Rugby League News . 16 December 2021.
  12. News: Leeds beat York to win Women's Grand Final . BBC Sport . 18 September 2022.
  13. Web site: Hollie Dodd - Career Stats & Summary . www.rugbyleagueproject.org . Rugby League Project . 20 October 2022.
  14. News: York City Knights Ladies star Hollie Dodd wins young player of the year award . 20 October 2022 . York Press . 25 September 2022.
  15. News: Heppenstall . Ross . England Women's World Cup squad with St Helens and Leeds Rhinos dominating . 20 October 2022 . YorkshireLive . 26 September 2022.
  16. News: Dodd to become first English player in women's NRL . 14 April 2023 . BBC Sport . 14 April 2023.
  17. Web site: Raiders hold off Tigers for second NRLW win in a row . Canberra Raiders . 6 August 2023 . 20 December 2023.
  18. Web site: 2023 Best Moments: First English NRLW try-scorer . Canberra Raiders . 9 October 2023 . 20 December 2023.
  19. Web site: Injury Update: Hollie-Mae Dodd . Canberra Raiders . 13 September 2023 . 20 December 2023.