Rumoured Leeds Rhinos target Shane Flanagan in career twist

The debate over who will be the next Leeds Rhinos head coach is one that has reverberated around the rugby league fraternity ever since Richard Agar stepped down from his post almost three weeks ago.

Since then, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive with a number of those names touted distancing themselves from the job such as Tony Smith and Danny McGuire.

Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington has since undertaken a tour of Australia to talk to potential coaching candidates with the likes of Shane Flanagan, Anthony Seibold, Michael Maguire and Paul Green just some of those names being mentioned.

However, Flanagan will not be the man, according to the Daily Telegraph as he is now being charged with overseeing St George Illawarra Dragons’ salary cap management – and that is where he will currently stay.

As has been reported, Hetherington has returned home with a UK appointment now the most likely.

And, for Luke Gale’s agent – Craig Harrison of Show Me The Money UK – there is one ‘perfect’ candidate that stands out amongst all the names that have been previously mentioned.

“Shaun Wane would be a perfect option, but he’s got a bit of history with Leeds,” Harrison told the Full Eighty Minutes podcast.

“And, the thing behind Shaun, I’ve met him a few times and he’s a breath of fresh air and he’s honest, but I don’t know if that is right for the Leeds and the culture there at the moment.

“Is he the one they need to square them all up?”

Wane, of course, is currently in a leadership role at the Wigan Warriors where he is working alongside head coach Matty Peet and assistants Lee Briers and Sean O’Loughlin.