Less than five weeks from the start of the new season, and over four months since the departure of Dan Ryan, Leeds Rhinos Netball have announced that have finally appointed a new head coach.
Sky Sports reports that Tracey Robinson has been selected to lead the Rhinos into the 2022 Vitality Netball Superleague Season. Robinson, from Australia, most recently coached the Malaysian national team, leading them to two international trophies, and served as an assistant coach for the New South Wales Swifts.
Robinson said: “I am so excited to be joining the club, the girls have been so welcoming and the whole organisation has been fantastic towards me so I am ready to get over there and start working with the girls.”
She added that she has watched every game the team has played, and it has been good to see their growth from last year even into this year’s pre-season.
Robinson is due to fly out to the UK from Australia imminently and will join the team in pre-season ahead of the new Superleague campaign, which begins for the Rhinos on 6 February as they take on reigning champions Loughborough Lightning.
Dan Busfield, franchise director of Leeds Rhinos Netball, added: “We are delighted that Tracey is joining the Rhinos. We believe we have secured a coach who fits the Rhinos culture and we can’t wait for her to join up with the team.”
Robinson will continue to work with Maggie Birkinshaw as assistant coach, who Busfield said had been ‘fantastic’ leading the team in pre-season.
Rhinos have been without a coach since Ryan returned to Australia in August for family reasons. He steered Rhinos to a top-four finish and a playoff berth in their inaugural season in Superleague.
Rhinos will play their home games across three Yorkshire venues in the 2022 season; first direct Arena in Leeds, Assam Sports Centre in Hull and the EIS in Sheffield.
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