From Castleford to Canberra, Hollie-Mae Dodd is looking to carry on a proud tradition of English recruits who have made their mark with the Green Machine.
The 19-year-old watched on in 2019 as fellow Brits Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead, John Bateman and Ryan Sutton helped carry Canberra all the way to the NRL grand final, and now Dodd has arrived in the national capital keen to make her own mark.
A star for England in last year’s World Cup, Dodd put her university degree on hold and packed up her life in West Yorkshire after signing with the Raiders' inaugural NRLW team.
Any hint of homesickness quickly went out the window as the young back-rower was greeted by some familiar faces and accents at Raiders HQ.
“As soon as I landed in Australia, I went to the club to watch the men train. And Elliot Whitehead walked over and introduced himself,” Dodd told NRL.com.
“He messaged me soon after just telling me to reach out if I needed anything which was really nice.
“Obviously he’s from England himself and he was telling me that he knows all the struggles of being away from home and family. That really meant a lot.
“He’s someone I always watched back home just because I knew where he was from and his background and he's also a second rower too.”
One of the first Englishmen to sign with the Raiders, Whitehead has played 181 games in eight seasons for the club and now co-captains the Green Machine alongside Jarrod Croker.
As the first English NRLW signing after catching the eye of coach Darrin Borthwick in the World Cup, Dodd hopes she can blaze a trail for young girls back home.
“It’s quite different just the whole playing experience and being able to come over here as an athlete and fully commit to training and playing,” Dodd said.
“To be recognised just meant so much. At home we are a few years behind what the competition is over here, the games are so much faster over here, it is a totally different comp to back home. But hopefully one day England will get to this point.
“Hopefully some girls can possibly look up to me and think they can achieve the same thing and if they do want to come over then they know they have the opportunity to do so as well.”
While most NRLW stars come from a background of rugby union, league tag or touch, the former Castleford Tiger arrives in the ACT with a CV of a different kind - a former ballroom dancing champion.
Dodd swapped her dancing shoes for footy boots less than four years ago, when she was introduced to the high school rugby league team.
Match Highlights: England v New Zealand
“I was actually born into it, my mum did it and my sister did it so I did that most of my life. I started comping at three years old,” Dodd said.
“I did that until I was about 15 years-old but when I went to high school I began playing rugby league.
“My brother was playing at school also and I watched him for a while and then I started playing at school too and got asked to play in a local club competition. It just took over.
“My parents took it pretty well. Obviously my mum used to dance as well but she’s a massive supporter of mine so I knew whatever I did she'd support me.”
Having waltzed around a Ballroom for over a decade of her early life, Dodd said, despite her professional pursuits seeming worlds apart, she often finds parallels between the two sports.
“Some of the aspects cross over into rugby league. People think it’s an individual sport but having that partner to dance alongside is probably something I’ve taken into league, not wanting to let your teammate down beside you,” she said.
“The footwork and skill you need in dancing you can also transition into rugby league as well.
“I have lost my posture a bit now but maybe that helps too.”
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