Michael Dobson (rugby league footballer)
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Dobson | |
| Date of birth | May 29, 1986 (age 20) | |
| Place of birth | Canberra, Australia | |
| Height | 5'9" (1.76m) | |
| Weight | 13st 3lbs (84Kg) | |
| Nickname | Dobbo, Dobby, Mick | |
| Position | Half-Back | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Canberra Raiders | |
| Number | 7 | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| Canberra | ||
| Professional clubs* | ||
| Years | Club | Apps (points) |
| 2005-06 2006 (loan) 2006 (loan) 2006-07 |
Canberra Raiders Catalan Dragons Wigan Warriors Canberra Raiders |
10 (128) 14 (142) 0 (0) |
|
* Professional club appearances and points |
||
Michael Dobson is a professional rugby league player currently playing for NRL side Canberra Raiders after a successful loan stint last season with Wigan Warriors.
[edit] Early career
Dobson, originally a promising young halfback for the Canberra Raiders Australian rugby league team, kick-started his career when he was loaned to French European Super League team Les Catalans Dragons as a replacement for the injured Stacey Jones. Jones was a highly rated halfback, but the then 19 year old Dobson impressed with his natural ability. While at Les Catalans, he attracted the attention of several other Super League clubs, subsequently being signed by the Wigan Warriors in May 2006.
There was some controversy over Dobson signing for Wigan. Under English law, Dobson was not permitted to play in England because he did not have a work permit. However, Wigan managed to obtain a work permit for him, albeit in controversial circumstances. When Dobson signed for Wigan, they were at the bottom of the Super League, 6 points behind the nearest team and heading towards relegation. Dobson's impact at Wigan helped the team survive relegation in the 2006 season. Michael is noted for his good organisational skills on the field.
Dobson is highly regarded as both a field and goal kicker. In 2006 he was statistically the best goal kicker in the world with a success rate of 84%, equal to or better than St Helens star Jamie Lyon (81%) and NRL players Hazem El Masri (84%) and Andrew Johns (80%).
[edit] 2007 Season
Dobson re-signed with the Raiders at the end of 2006, and will be part of the Raiders' squad in 2007. Dobson has ambitions to play at the highest level in rugby league, and has enough promise to be considered as a future State of Origin player and possibly an Australian International. Upon re-signing with Canberra, Dobson said that he would consider returning to the Super League in the future.
