Dunneman is an agent now I think, I don't think he coaches anymore.

Russell Crowe has purchased the club I've not heard

The only question to ask when Leeds make these dual code announcements is, and always has been: what's in it for Leeds Rhinos? What will it help the club achieve that they wouldn't be able to given their own financial resources and their own power within Rugby League.

At almost every single turn in the history of the joint code arrangement at Headingley, you could find plenty of reasons why things were good for Leeds Tykes, not so many that they provided any benefit to Leeds Rhinos.

But perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised...

[size"Both clubs will be making the announcement, which is one of the most significant in the history of both teams, "[/size With the best will in the world, I can not see how changes to the coaching staff of either or both clubs, lives up to that billing.

For mine it has to be about infrastructure or sponsorship. But what are the odds we're all thinking "Meh" by 12:30pm

Why would Leeds make a joint announcement about infrastructure? It's not like the RU club can afford to contribute anything or needs a bigger or improved stadium. Whatever money the new owners have has to go into plugging the gaping holes in their day to day finances.

I don't like close ties with RU and I can't help my attitude at my age.Keep your friends close but your enemies closer Don Corlieone . RU have been trying to close down RL for 120 years .Lets see what they are bringing to the table .At this moment in time Headingley is too large for YC RU

Anything to do with the stadium would have had to go through so many pairs of hands even at the first stage (planners, banks, YCCC, architects, builders, council) that it would have leaked out from somewhere well before any press conference.

But I don't see how a new coaching set-up could be "the most significant announcements in both clubs' history"

Anyway... a bit of showbusiness from GH. We'll see tomorrow.

Arguably the appointment of a Director of Rugby overseeing the running of both clubs simultaneously would be a pretty ground-breaking announcement.

Hetherington does that role effectively for the Rhinos at the moment - might he be retiring?

But again the question is - what benefit is there for Leeds in sharing a DOR with a second division union club and forcing a coaching upheaval for no clear reason?

If you have Hetherington as a hands-on CEO and two head coaches, one for each code, then I don't really see what a "Director of Rugby" does. Would seem a bit of an invented role.

I agree and in my opinion that seems the most likely scenario. I can't see it being anything to do with the stadium. If anything a press conference regarding the stadium would be in conjunction with Yorkshire Cricket rather than Yorkshire Carnegie.


I'd imagine it's more a case of Hetherington taking a step back from the rugby side but still very much CEO and in charge of both clubs rather than retiring. Thats if it's what we think it is, of course.

Off the top of my head I'd think the biggest benefit we'd see would be a sharing of u19's players. There's already been a bit of that going on but I'd imagine there'd be more of it. If we get a couple more like Walters from it then hey ho. As long as we still have a full time head coach at the Rhinos I can't see too many negatives to it.

Mac moving 'upstairs' with a new Aussie coach coming sounds really good to me. I just hope we could then also get a proper assistant coach as well, it would be a novel idea

I have a bad feeling about this...

It's Kevin Sinfield. That's just a feeling I've got. He's finished as a top level SL player and knows it himself. Out of total respect, the club would have been waiting for him to decide when he felt he could no longer cut it.

It could also explain why JP is leaving. No influential position available for both.

A joint statement of great significance to both teams would suggest either a new big sponsor/owner or a move to a new ground. Juggling with joint coaching positions is not really major stuff. Something that would make big news would be a major dual code signing who could play for both sides.