Leeds Rhinos and the sacking of Rohan Smith - James O'Brien
The Yorkshire Post’s rugby league writer, James O’Brien, discusses the sacking of Rohan Smith by Leeds Rhinos, the search for his successor and an emotional evening ahead at Headingley as tributes are paid to the remarkable Rob Burrow ...
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00:00Rowan Smith, sacked by Leeds Rhinos earlier this week on Wednesday, Wednesday afternoon.
00:13Why has it happened now? I mean, is it fair to say that for some people it's been coming
00:16for a while?
00:17Yeah, I think especially after last week's defeat at a Hull FC, I think his position
00:22became untenable. It was a rotten performance. It has been building for a while, probably
00:29for 12 months, going back to last summer when they lost to Kass and Wick in quick succession.
00:33But in terms of the timing, like I said, they didn't really have a choice. There's obviously
00:39a lot of sensitivity around it. They met to celebrate Rob Burroughs' remarkable life on
00:45Friday. I think Rowan Smith actually led it in terms of wanting the focus to be on Rob
00:51and not on his position, because it has got pretty toxic in recent weeks, particularly.
00:56It's a big call by Ian Blees, and Gavin Eddington was no doubt involved in the decision-making
01:03process. In his first week, his first proper week as sporting director, it's a ballsy move,
01:09isn't it?
01:10It is a bit of a statement. I think he's got a reputation at Salford of getting things
01:16done, and that's what he's done this week. He hasn't taken long. I think it happened
01:21on Monday, actually. He didn't just walk in and say, right, you've fired Alan Sugarstyle.
01:26But they had a few conversations. It was clear it wasn't working. He's taken a firm decision,
01:32and now it's up to him to find the successor. Gary Etherington at the press conference this
01:36morning said it's not all on Ian Blees, but he'll be leading the search for Rowan Smith's
01:41successor.
01:42And what can we say at the moment? Here we are on Thursday, the day before Leeds' game
01:47against Leeds Leopards on Friday at Headingley. What can we say about who are perhaps the
01:51early leading candidates?
01:52Yeah, the two names mentioned were Paul Rowley, obviously the link to Salford. He's naturally
01:58going to get links. Ian Blees appointed him at Salford. He's done great work there. And
02:02there's Brad Arthur, who was in charge of Parramatta Reels in the NRL for a decade,
02:08I think it was. He's got a lot of experience building a team, creating a culture at a club.
02:14He said he wants to come to Super League and specifically to Leeds as well. So, Rowley
02:20would be the complicated one. He's obviously under contract at Salford, whereas Brad Arthur
02:25would be quite straightforward. He's available now and he's willing to come. So, I think
02:28it'd be either one of those two.
02:30OK, we've already mentioned it briefly already, but Friday night promises to be a very emotional
02:35night at Headingley. It's going to be a packed house and an evening really just full of tribute,
02:41fittingly, tributes to Ron Burrow.
02:44Yeah, he was such a popular figure at Headingley, obviously, for what he did as a player. Some
02:49remarkable feats there, the size he was and overcoming that to be a legend of the club
02:55and what he did after as well in his courageous fight against motor neurone disease as well.
03:01It's not just at Headingley that he's loved, it's beyond and he transcended the sport.
03:06Hopefully, he'll get the night he deserves tomorrow. Hopefully, it's a Leeds win as well
03:10for everyone concerned, but particularly for the Burrow family who will be in attendance.