Departing head coach Richard Agar backs Leeds to turn form around this season

Richard Agar says he took a selfless decision to quit his job as Leeds head coach and has tipped his successor to turn around their fortunes in time to make a push for honours in 2022.

The 50-year-old Agar, who had been in the job since the sacking of Dave Furner in May 2019, stepped down with immediate effect with the Rhinos third from bottom of Super League after winning just one of their first six matches.

Assistant coach Jamie Jones-Buchanan, alongside Sean Long, will take charge of preparations for Saturday’s Betfred Challenge Cup sixth-round tie against Castleford while the club ponder a permanent replacement.

Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington says he will take his time and work from a “blank sheet of paper” and Agar expects him to be inundated with applications.

“It’s a great job and the best club I’ve worked at by a country mile,” Agar told a news conference via zoom.

“I’d expect Gary’s phone to be ringing off the hook and I’m sure there will be some great coaches and great people sticking their hands up. It’s going to be a really good job to take on.

“Whether this is misguided or not, I still believe that when this team gets its troops back and finds its feet, there is plenty of time for them to achieve this year.

Whether this is misguided or not, I still believe that when this team gets its troops back and finds its feet, there is plenty of time for them to achieve this year- Richard Agar

“I’m hoping we see a reaction this week. It might take a little bit of pressure off them for starters. We were one in six last year and we ended up a game away from the Grand Final.

“I don’t think the squad is as poor as we’re seeing at the moment. All we’ve got to do is get into the play-offs which at this stage is