Michael Dobson (rugby league footballer)

Michael Dobson

Personal information
Born	(1986-05-29) 29 May 1986 (age 32) Junee, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height	177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	83 kg (13 st 1 lb)
Position	Halfback, Five-eighth
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2006 Catalans Dragons 12 5 41 1 103 2006 Wigan Warriors 14 6 61 0 146 2007–08 Canberra Raiders 20 3 56 0 124 2008–13 Hull Kingston Rovers 153 53 534 12 1292 2014 Newcastle Knights 6 0 0 0 0 2015–17 Salford Red Devils 80 16 118 2 302 Total 285 83 810 15 1967
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Michael Dobson (born 29 May 1986) is an Australian former rugby league footballer last played for the Salford Red Devils of the Super League. He primarily plays halfback and five-eighth. In 2009, he won the prestigious Albert Goldthorpe Medal.

Born in Junee, New South Wales, Dobson attended Erindale College and played his junior rugby league for the Junee Diesels, before being signed by the Canberra Raiders. In 2003 and 2004, Dobson played for the Australian Schoolboys team.

In 2006, the Raiders loaned Dobson to French club Catalans Dragons of Super League as a replacement for injured halfback Stacey Jones.

After impressing at the Dragons, Dobson 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's 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 table, 6 points behind the nearest team and heading towards relegation. Dobson's impact at Wigan helped the team survive relegation in the 2006 season.

In 2006, Dobson 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 National Rugby League players Hazem El Masri, 84% and Andrew Johns, 80%.