The Western Force are thrilled to announce the re-signing of hooker Nic Dolly on a new deal extending his stay at the Club until the end of 2028.
The 25-year-old rake joined the Force from English Premiership Rugby outfit Leicester Tigers in the off-season and has impressed since his arrival in Perth midway through last year.
Dolly made a great impression during last October’s three-game spring tour of South Africa and has had a strong opening month to the Super Rugby Pacific season, including 34 tackles, 11 carries and a try.
Force general manager of rugby Chris Goodman said Dolly’s re-committal was another sign of the Club’s long-term planning for squad depth and was delighted to keep the front-rower in Perth long term.
“From when he arrived and came on that South Africa tour, we knew he was someone we wanted to keep at the club for a long time to build that depth and cohesion,” Goodman said.
“He’s played with a lot of boys before, so he’s familiar with the group and is a good influence within that.
“Nic brings plenty of excellent facets, namely the accuracy of his throw, his physicality around the field and his professionalism off the field. He leads by example in that space.
“There’s really good competition between him, Tom (Horton) and BPA (Brandon Paenga-Amosa) at hooker. We’ve got a good mixture of players there, who all compliment each other and compete really well.”
Dolly’s re-signing follows on from housemate Nick Champion de Crespigny’s contract extension announced last week, while captain Jeremy Williams re-committed last month.
Dolly said the Force’s long-term vision was a key part of him re-committing to the Club along with the positive atmosphere within the group.
“What they’re trying to build over here is long-term success and you can only have that with a good strong squad with depth,” Dolly said. “With the signings they’re making, I wanted to stay long term.
“That’s one of many things, Perth is a beautiful spot, the boys here are great and the coaching staff and playing group are really ambitious. That’s definitely what’s kept me here and what I want to achieve over the next three-four years.”
Sydney-born Dolly, who has one England cap from 2021 but now has Wallabies ambitions, is contending for a regular start in the Force XV alongside Wallaby Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Tom Horton. He embraced that competition for spots which he said was pushing him to be better.
“The playing group is really tight, and everyone wants everyone else to do well,” Dolly said.
“I look at my position, it’s probably one of the stronger positions within the squad in terms of depth. We push each other but we also want that spot as well.
“I think that’s really healthy to have in the group. The more we see that throughout every position, the better we’ll get.”
Nic Dolly
DOB: 11/6/1999
Position: Hooker
Junior Club: Eastwood (NSW)
WA Aligned Club: Cottesloe
Previous experience: Leicester Tigers (2021-2024), Coventry (2021), Sale Sharks (2017-2020)
