‘Proud of the way I thought about things’ – Rohan Smith reflects on Leeds Rhinos tenure

VaselineJuly 22, 2024

0 2 minutes read

‘Proud of the way I thought about things’ – Rohan Smith reflects on Leeds Rhinos tenure

Former Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith has revealed he is “proud” of his time with the club.

He was sacked after a poor run of form which culminated in a defeat to Hull FC midway through his third season at the club.

Brad Arthur, formerly of the Parramatta Eels, has since taken over the role until the end of the season.

This weekend he appeared on BBC Radio Leeds for Castleford Tigers’ win over Catalans Dragons and was asked how he reflects on his time at Leeds.

He replied, “I think we’re almost past that phase, I think. I went to the Leigh game after the announcement and decision was made, I really enjoyed seeing my first academy game and a lot of these youngsters.

“Surprisingly, many of these children contacted me and sent messages within days after. I probably didn’t realize how much I influenced a lot of these really young kids, just in short conversations over a period of time.

“Some of the messages I got from those guys were like, ‘Wow, I’ve got to go watch this game for a little bit of closure, maybe,’ or just because I care.”

Credit: Imago Images

He continued: “Back then, the build-up to the match and the tribute to Rob was something you’ll probably never see again in sport. It was a once in a lifetime event.

“I think the way the club does these things is exceptional, second to none in the world I could imagine, in terms of paying tribute and honoring the club’s great servants. It was a special night, I’m glad I was there.”

Rohan Smith now ‘just another fan’ of Leeds Rhinos

Credit: Imago Images

“A few days after (the MND Awareness game) it probably started to sink in, I’m sitting with the family and I’m thinking, ‘I’ve gone from every moment I’ve been invested in Rhino for two years to now.’ I’m just another fan’. So it was exciting and then probably the week after that it kind of sunk in and it was a little bit hard at times.

“I reflected a lot. I think you can say, “I could have done this or I could have done that,” but hindsight doesn’t determine anything. You can’t live this way. I definitely learned a lot.

“I’m a much better coach than I was a few years ago and that’s the quest I’m on, it’s just getting better and learning things and getting good at it.

“I’m very proud of the way we approached things. I acted in what I believed to be the best interest of the club with every decision I made. I never made short-term decisions to protect myself. I especially like the group of players and the people that are in that building at Kirkstall. I am very close to these people and that will remain.”

VaselineJuly 22, 2024

0 2 minutes read

Rohan Smith now ‘just another fan’ of Leeds Rhinos

Vaseline

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