After Rohan Smith left the Leeds Rhinos last Wednesday, the team has been looking for a new coach for a week.

Many names have been associated with the position, but Paul Rowley, the manager of Salford Red Devils, and Brad Arthur, an Australian whose most recent position was as coach of Parramatta Eels, the NRL team, are considered the front-runners. Ian Blease, the sporting director, will select the new coach and, only weeks after joining the team, he must make a significant choice. This is how Rowley and Blease appear to be viable candidates.

Despite being relatively young at 49, Rowley, who was born in Leigh, has a wealth of experience, having taken on his first head coaching position with his hometown team in 2014. Having won two consecutive second-tier titles at Leigh in 2014 and 2015, he has experience in the lower levels. He also served as the Toronto Wolfpack’s first coach.

He led the Canadian team to victory in League One on their first try and repeated the feat in the Championship a year later, albeit with a shocking loss to the London Broncos in the Grand Final. In the fall of 2021, Rowley was named Salford’s coach, and during his first season, he guided the team to a play-off semifinal.

Despite having a little budget and losing some important players, such Andy Ackers and Brodie Croft, to Leeds in the preseason, they are presently fifth in the league, having just missed out on the top six previous season. The Salford manager is respected for his playing philosophy and has a knack for getting the most out of Croft and Ackers, who produced their finest rugby while he was their coach. Blease, who coworked with him at Salford until earlier this month, is also well acquainted with him, so if he were to obtain the job, there wouldn’t be any surprises.

Leeds would have to entice him away from Salford, where he obviously feels at home, because he is now employed there. He has already turned down the prospect of joining Hull FC.

Moreover, Rowley has never held a position at a really large team. Even though Salford is currently playing better, Leeds is a significant improvement. At Rhinos, pressure is greater and expectations are higher. Many coaches have found the position to be too big for them in the past.

The 50-year-old Australian is accessible right now and has extensive top-level experience. He worked as the coach of the Parramatta Eels, an NRL team, from September 2013 until his dismissal last month. He has also had positions with the Melbourne Storm and the Manly Sea Eagles.

He turned around the Eels’ fortunes, leading them to the 2022 Grand Final and multiple play-off campaigns. His players held him in high regard. When he was fired after seven losses in ten games this season, there was a great deal of sympathy.

Arthur is unknown to the Leeds team and has never worked in the Super League. They may favour a candidate with whom they have firsthand knowledge, but they do have sources in the Australian competition.

Arthur has other suitors, too. According to Australian media, the former Eels player has already had discussions with representatives of Perth’s bid to join the NRL.

LEEDS RHINO Rob Burrow, a legend of the Leeds Rhinos, dies at age 41 according to Sam Cook2/06/2024 Rob Burrow
Following his fight with motor neurone disease, former player and club legend Rob Burrow passed away at the age of 41, as confirmed by a tweet from the Leeds Rhinos.

Rob Burrow has been battling Motor Neurone Disease, a crippling and now incurable neurological disorder, for nearly five years. The diagnosis was made in December 2019.

Along with his best friend and former Leeds Rhinos teammate Kevin Sinfield, he announced his diagnosis live on BBC Breakfast, which went on to chronicle Burrow’s life with MND.

Since then, Rob Burrow’s efforts to raise money and awareness in order to aid in the search for a solution for the horrible disease known as motor neuron disease (MND) have made him a national hero. As a result, Sinfield has completed several marathons and the two have raised almost £7 million; the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon was their most recent endeavour, which took place last month.

Rob Burrow, 41, tragically lost his battle with illness and passed away; his team, the Leeds Rhinos, announced the tragic news.

We at Serious About Rugby League send our sincere condolences to Rob’s family during this terrible time. It’s also important to note that Rob was a patron of the MND Association, which is raising money to support the Rob Burrow Centre for MND. Information on how to donate can be found here.

Rob Burrow passes away aged 41