00:00Rowan Smith, sacked by Leeds Rhinos earlier this week on Wednesday, Wednesday afternoon.
00:13Why has it happened now? I mean, is it fair to say that for some people it's been coming
00:16for a while?
00:17Yeah, I think especially after last week's defeat at a Hull FC, I think his position
00:22became untenable. It was a rotten performance. It has been building for a while, probably
00:29for 12 months, going back to last summer when they lost to Kass and Wick in quick succession.
00:33But in terms of the timing, like I said, they didn't really have a choice. There's obviously
00:39a lot of sensitivity around it. They met to celebrate Rob Burroughs' remarkable life on
00:45Friday. I think Rowan Smith actually led it in terms of wanting the focus to be on Rob
00:51and not on his position, because it has got pretty toxic in recent weeks, particularly.
00:56It's a big call by Ian Blees, and Gavin Eddington was no doubt involved in the decision-making
01:03process. In his first week, his first proper week as sporting director, it's a ballsy move,
01:09isn't it?
01:10It is a bit of a statement. I think he's got a reputation at Salford of getting things
01:16done, and that's what he's done this week. He hasn't taken long. I think it happened
01:21on Monday, actually. He didn't just walk in and say, right, you've fired Alan Sugarstyle.
01:26But they had a few conversations. It was clear it wasn't working. He's taken a firm decision,
01:32and now it's up to him to find the successor. Gary Etherington at the press conference this
01:36morning said it's not all on Ian Blees, but he'll be leading the search for Rowan Smith's
01:41successor.
01:42And what can we say at the moment? Here we are on Thursday, the day before Leeds' game
01:47against Leeds Leopards on Friday at Headingley. What can we say about who are perhaps the
01:51early leading candidates?
01:52Yeah, the two names mentioned were Paul Rowley, obviously the link to Salford. He's naturally
01:58going to get links. Ian Blees appointed him at Salford. He's done great work there. And
02:02there's Brad Arthur, who was in charge of Parramatta Reels in the NRL for a decade,
02:08I think it was. He's got a lot of experience building a team, creating a culture at a club.
02:14He said he wants to come to Super League and specifically to Leeds as well. So, Rowley
02:20would be the complicated one. He's obviously under contract at Salford, whereas Brad Arthur
02:25would be quite straightforward. He's available now and he's willing to come. So, I think
02:28it'd be either one of those two.
02:30OK, we've already mentioned it briefly already, but Friday night promises to be a very emotional
02:35night at Headingley. It's going to be a packed house and an evening really just full of tribute,
02:41fittingly, tributes to Ron Burrow.
02:44Yeah, he was such a popular figure at Headingley, obviously, for what he did as a player. Some
02:49remarkable feats there, the size he was and overcoming that to be a legend of the club
02:55and what he did after as well in his courageous fight against motor neurone disease as well.
03:01It's not just at Headingley that he's loved, it's beyond and he transcended the sport.
03:06Hopefully, he'll get the night he deserves tomorrow. Hopefully, it's a Leeds win as well
03:10for everyone concerned, but particularly for the Burrow family who will be in attendance.
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