Rain Dodd Draft Profile

Murray BushrangersMedium Utility

#3

Rain Dodd

height: 165cm

weight:

D.O.B: 13-01-2007

Leagues: AFLW U18 Championships, Coates Talent League Girls

Snapshot
Analysis
Summary

SNAPSHOT: “A defensively-minded utility with nice footy IQ who captained Vic Country at the national championships.”

Rain Dodd is the kind of player teammates enjoying running out alongside. A tough and fierce competitor, she has a defensive mindset and nice footy IQ that allow her to play to her strengths, while giving 100 per cent each and every time.

Dodd is actually a latecomer to Australian rules football, having played rugby her whole life after initially living in Sydney. When moving to Wodonga after the global pandemic, Dodd took up the oblong-shaped ball code with Wodonga Raiders and had a successful year in the Under 14s, booting 20 goals in 14 games and being named among the best 10 times.

That same year she stepped up to Under 17s level for a few matches, and then her form earned her a place with the Murray Bushrangers’ North East Border V/Line Cup side the following April. That success translated into her North East Border form where she played 17 matches for the Raiders reaching the grand final of the league where they went down to the all-conquering Lavington Panthers.

Her double bottom-age season saw Dodd represent Vic Country at the National Development Championships and play six games for Murray Bushrangers at Under 18s level. She averaged 7.5 disposals and laid 3.5 tackles that season, before playing a more prominent role in 2024. She doubled her numbers on both counts and showed off her versatility between a wing and half-back.

In 2025, Dodd even spent time on-ball, and has shown glimpses up forward, but settled mostly in defence where she has been able to run off half-back and create some great transitional plays. Throughout the season she averaged 16.8 disposals, 4.9 tackles and around two clearances, inside 50s and rebound 50s per match. Stepping up to Vic Country, Dodd earned the captaincy and played a role in defence and some on-ball, where she managed 9.7 disposals and 2.23 tackles.

At the end of the season, Dodd was awarded a State Draft Combine invite and kept herself in the draft frame.

Click the ANALYSIS tab for more

STRENGTHS:

+ Defensive pressure
+ Footy IQ
+ Competitiveness
+ Strength
+ Versatility
+ Evasiveness
+ Leadership

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Kicking efficiency
- Explosive speed
- Aerial ability

Dodd is first and foremost a fierce competitor who will always be up for the fight. Be it playing in defence, on the wing, through the middle or even up forward, she brings a non-negotiable level of competitiveness and work rate that make her a coach's dream. The fact she can play anywhere on the field makes her all the more valuable to her side.

Looking at her game, Dodd is defensively focused, but has some nice offensive traits too. She moves the ball in transition well, and her evasiveness to get out of trouble with a slick sidestep helps her work through congestion. Though best suited when having grass in front of her to run, she is comfortable under pressure with great strength.

With ball in hand, she dishes off handballs effectively, and her best mode of disposal comes in that format. Be it under pressure or in space, she is effective, and her footy IQ allows her to generally make good decisions in each of the thirds on the ground. By foot, her kicking efficiency can certainly improve. Though not a huge direct turnover player, Dodd more tends to kick to contests or to space, rather than pinpoint, which is how she can improve.

Other ways she can further improve include in her aerial work and her explosiveness at ground level. Though competitive one-on-one and strong at the coalface or under pressure, Dodd is better suited to using her bodywork to win the ball. Likewise while Dodd loves to run and carry, it is her evasiveness that helps get her out of trouble, and while her metres gained are always very good, it is more through work rate and smarts than explosiveness.

That being said, Dodd has plenty of traits which clubs will love, some on-field and some off-field with her natural leadership obvious for all to see this year. She can play any number of roles, and between her defensive pressure and work rate, and footy smarts, she has a nice all-round package to work with going forward.

DRAFT RANGE: Late

SUMMARY:

Rain Dodd is a balanced offensive-defensive player who is a tough competitor and a natural leader. Not afraid to take grass and try and help her team at all costs, she is still developing several facets of her game. The Murray utility has shown enough to suggest further improvement will only be accelerated in an elite program, and is one of a number of players in with a chance of earning a spot at the top level.

AFLW U18 Championships

Season	Team	K	HB	D	M	CP	UP	T	HO	CLR	I50	R50	GL	GM	K	H	D	M	HO	T	G	DC
2025	Vic Country Girls	12	17	29	5	17	13	7	0	2	2	5	0	3	4.0	5.7	9.7	1.7	0.0	2.3	0.0	33
Total	-	12	17	29	5	17	13	7	0	2	2	5	0	3	4.0	5.7	9.7	1.7	0.0	2.3	0.0	33

Coates Talent League Girls

Season	Team	K	HB	D	M	CP	UP	T	HO	CLR	I50	R50	GL	GM	K	H	D	M	HO	T	G	DC
2023	Murray Bushrangers	27	18	45	3	0	0	21	0	0	1	6	0	6	4.5	3.0	7.5	0.5	0.0	3.5	0.0	22
2024	Murray Bushrangers	115	70	185	22	0	0	75	0	0	16	19	0	12	9.6	5.8	15.4	1.8	0.0	6.3	0.0	50
2025	Murray Bushrangers	121	81	202	19	97	114	59	1	27	25	23	2	12	10.1	6.8	16.8	1.6	0.1	4.9	0.2	62
Total	-	263	169	432	44	97	114	155	1	27	42	48	2	30	8.8	5.6	14.4	1.5	0.0	5.2	0.1	134