Leeds Rhinos have confirmed that Gary Hetherington will leave Headingley at the end of the 2025 Super League season. Hetherington has been with the Rhinos for 29 years, taking over alongside Paul Caddick back in 1996 and in that time he has overseen the brightest spell in the club’s rich history.
Under Hetherington’s stewardship the club have won eight Grand Finals, four Challenge Cups and three Club World Challenges. However, his time comes to an end as he readies himself for a new challenge in the capital with London Broncos.
Leeds have confirmed that Hetherington will spend two days a week focused on the Broncos between now and the end of the season as he strives to find new ownership for the Championship club. He will remain at Headingley until the end of the season to ease the transition between CEOs with Jamie Jones-Buchanan in line to take over the role.
Jones-Buchanan is something of a club legend and has remained with the club since retiring as a player. Elsewhere, Rob Oates will take up a managing director role, while Sue Ward will be the club’s new chief operating officer.
“I’ve had a good innings and it’s been an amazing journey,” Hetherington said in a statement published on Leeds’ official site. “At the outset, we had four key objectives, to give the city a team to be proud of, to convert the loss-making business into a sustainable one, to re-develop the stadium facilities and to connect with our community and make a positive difference.
“Leeds RL and Headingley presented a big challenge in 1996 and a very different one to what I took on with the creation of Sheffield Eagles in 1984. And I will leave knowing both the Rhinos and our Foundation are in good shape. They are full of talented and hardworking people who care about the club and the game, and I will miss them all, but I will continue to serve the Rhinos Players’ Association Committee and support the Leeds Rhinos Foundation as it’s lifetime President.
“I look back with pride on the rebrand to Leeds Rhinos, the birth of the Foundation, the stadium re-development, our training complex at Kirkstall and the successful Rhinos teams, players and staff, and most of all, on building the club’s reputation to always serving the game in the best possible way.
“I’m confident this season will be a successful one for all our fans and sponsors and I’ll do all I can to ensure a smooth handover between now and the end of the season.”
Speaking of Hetherington’s departure, Rhinos chairman Paul Caddick said: “First and foremost, I would like to thank Gary for everything he has done for Leeds Rhinos but also the game of Rugby League and the city of Leeds. When we first arrived at the club, we both believed in the potential for success at Leeds and we founded a partnership that ensured the club could thrive on and off the field.
“Over the last eighteen months we have embarked on a period of transition to take the business forward that has included an evolution of our Board of Directors which has seen Ian Blease, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Neil McGawley, Allie Hulme and Neil Wilson add their weight of experience and knowledge to our leadership. We have the best commercial operation in the sport, led by Rob Oates, and our stadium is now world class with Sue Ward providing the vision for future plans for our home whilst Nigel Chambers expertly leads our financial planning. With a strong Board of Directors and a talented management team in place, we are confident of moving forward to grasp the opportunities that lie ahead.
“Gary and I have always understood that we are the custodians of a rich history and heritage here at AMT Headingley and Leeds Rhinos. The greatest test for any leader is always whether they leave an organisation in a better place when they leave than when they arrived, and Gary has certainly achieved that by a considerable margin. We will forever be indebted to him for his tireless efforts for the club. We are looking forward to a successful season in 2025 and sending Gary off in the best possible way.”
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