Former Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith secures coaching return

Rohan Smith has made a return to coaching four months on from his departure at Leeds Rhinos: by re-joining former club Norths Devils in Australia.

Smith enjoyed overwhelming success during his stint at the club between 2018 and 2022. He helped guide them to the Queensland Cup title and they have since gone on to maintain that success in recent years, winning the competition three times in four years: including this season.

And Smith will now head back to the Devils in 2025 as part of a coaching shake-up at the club.

Current coach Dave Elliott will depart Norths, with Smith returning alongside his long-time assistant at the club, Kevin Neighbour.

The Devils are feeder club to NRL side the Dolphins, and Neighbour will coach Norths’ under-19s alongside helping Smith attempt to maintain the success of the first-team.

“I very much enjoyed my five seasons at Norths which produced many friendships and very positive memories for me and my family,” Smith said.

“We’re very much looking forward to coming back to a club that has such a strong history and plays such an important role in its community.

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“The future of the Devils continues to be positive and we look forward to the next steps.”

Norths have just lost forward Cooper Jenkins to the club Smith left earlier this year, after he agreed a deal to move to Super League and sign with Leeds.

Smith had suggested he would look for alternative careers outside of rugby league earlier this year – but he has been lured back to the coach that helped him make his name in Australia as he attempts to rebuild his coaching path.

Smith enjoyed great success during his first season with the Rhinos, guiding them to the Super League Grand Final in 2022, where they just came up short against St Helens.

However, they couldn’t replicate that form in 2023, finishing eighth, and Smith left the Rhinos by mutual consent in June of this year. He was eventually replaced by Brad Arthur.

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