‘Nobody had heard of him’: Smith sparks Rhinos charge into Grand Final

Remember the North Devils’ run towards a first Queensland Cup since 1998 last year? No? That means you probably had no idea who Rohan Smith was when he was appointed head coach of Leeds Rhinos in April. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

“Nobody had heard of him,” says the Leeds forward James Donaldson. “Nobody knew really who he was, other than his family history.”

That family history is certainly unique. Smith’s father, Brian, coached Bradford with great success in the 1990s while his uncle Tony was the Leeds coach when they lifted the Super League title for the first time in 2004. Fast forward 18 years and the latest member of the Smith family to become a head coach will aim to emulate that feat at Old Trafford against St Helens.

But how he and his players have reached this point is anything but a repeat of history. When Smith was prised away from Norths Devils , the Rhinos were more likely to be relegated than win a record-extending ninth Super League Grand Final. They were a point clear of the league’s bottom side, Toulouse, and Leeds made it abundantly clear their gamble on a coach who had never taken charge of a game at the highest level was viewed as a long-term appointment.

“As captain, I’ll admit I didn’t know who he was,” says Kruise Leeming. “But Gary [Hetherington, the Leeds chief executive] came to the players and explained why they believed he was the right man. From that point on, you’re interested and your ears perk up.”

Even the players Smith has dragged close to the most remarkable title success in the modern era say they could not have seen this coming. “It wasn’t a happy place,” says Donaldson. “We weren’t enjoying our rugby, we didn’t feel together and then the club appoints a coach you don’t really