https://www.therhinos.co.uk/2022/09/05/ ... eadingley/ Smith really putting his own stamp on the first team staff, I wonder how happy he is with the assistant coaching staff he inherited. I bet Sal Paradise will be happy

https://www.therhinos.co.uk/2022/09/05/ ... eadingley/ Smith really putting his own stamp on the first team staff, I wonder how happy he is with the assistant coaching staff he inherited. I bet Sal Paradise will be happy

Is he an S&C guy? Ours at Hull has just left .
Sounds like we've lined up uncle Tony up, who he'll presumably know

He's off to do more movies with Simon Pegg.

never quite figured out what his actual role at the club was

Like a few others within the club over the years, I never figured out how they got there in the first place.

About time somebody got a grip - shame Sinfield couldn't do it when he was there. Hopefully Smith ends up with a ninja force of backroom staff for next season. This is elite sport not a rest home for waifs and strays.

He was/is an S and C guy but considered to be a bit of a comedy figure by many fans. He carries a bit of excess timber and his glasses were often skewwhiff.
This is probably unfair as we won a lot of stuff when he was in the role.
He has been pushed to one side a bit in recent years.
He worked with Tony Smith at Hudds and Smith made
Him Head Conditioner when he was England coach, so could see him going to FC.

3 on the outer.

Sean Long is leaving as assistant coach, JJB moving to a new role within the club, Jason Davidson on the way out. Massive shake up.

About time too - shame Agar didn't have the nuts to do it either

Is JJB going to run the foundation - he would be excellent at that.

Longs quote is interesting, infers that he's chosen to leave because of a change in his responsibilities. Great opportunity for Smith to build the team and staff the way he wants.

I wonder who he'll bring in

Smith clearly identified weaknesses off the field as well as on it. The good news is he's not been afraid to act. Also a bit of kudos to GH, who is clearly backing him.

Odd timing of these announcements though, in the runup to the biggest game of the season.

Maybe because the posts need to be advertised imminently

I like this about Smith. Whether players of staff, he is not afraid to make big calls. I’m sure Long left before he was pushed. Smith clearly knows how he wants the rugby department to operate, and his lack of previous ties to the club mean he can make the hard decisions.

Hopefully Danny Ward will be one of the new coaches

Smith is trying to clean house and that means wiping out all that 'Leeds DNA' nonsense and harking back to recent players as some kind of magic wand. The club had got lazy and complacent right across the board, starting with coaching and fitness and including a hopeless player contracting strategy (if there even was one).

GH deserves every bit of criticism for letting the club fall in a heap post 2015, but at least he's seemingly done a good job in picking Smith and now backing him, at least in terms of staff.

Agree completely. It happens in football too when coaches are hired for nonsense reasons like "knowing the club". Someone previously playing for your club is completely irrelevant if they aren't actually good coaches. Sentimental appointments are so annoying.

It doesn’t surprise me with Long, most would agree, failed to live up to the hype as an uber attacking coach.

Possibly a step up for Chev, I do believe they knew each other from the Bulls days or possibly one of his old assistant coaches front Oz.
I do think in the past there have been too many assistant coaches but RS seems more hands on spot might be a slimmed down team.

He was part of the England setup at the 2008 world cup, so I expect Tony Smith rates him.

Given the reasons he’s moving from Salford, I for one wouldn’t be surprised if Danny Orr is part of the first team set up next season. Straight swap for Long.

I would be happy with that and a better choice than Danny Ward imo.

I'd rather Smith brings in someone from Australia that he knows. Its the home of the best coaches as well as the best players.

Chev Walker new assistant according to Leeds Live. https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 142475.amp

Chev Walker new assistant according to Leeds Live. https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 142475.amp

I`m not sure about this appointment of Walker.
Is it down to his ability or his friendship with Smith.
Let`s hope we don`t have another debacle when Sinfield gave jobs to his mates and extended contracts to other favourites when clearly it wasn`t based on their skill set.
On the other hand Walker might be a great coach and Smith has made the right decision.