Leeds Rhinos Netball get behind Liana Leota's vision to bring Super League success

Yorkshire’s sole franchise in the elite tier have not been to the play-offs since their maiden season under Dan Ryan in 2021 but finished the second half of last year strongly.

Now entering their second year under director of netball Liana Leota – the former New Zealand international who was on the England coaching staff this summer as the Roses made a historic run to the World Cup final – they are looking to kick on.

They will have to do so with a lot of new faces. Out have gone captain Nia Jones, record appearance maker Brie Grierson, Roses international Vicki Oyesola and homegrown talent Rosie Harris among others.

In their place have come veteran England player Geva Mentor and South Africa goal attack Joyce Mvula, Australian Zoe Davies, rising England star Harriet Jones and Scotland international Sarah MacPhail.

Franchise director Dan Busfield told The Yorkshire Post: “We’re working closely with Liana, she’s the netball brains behind it and she’s really happy.

“We’ve brought in players at either end of the court, some real experience in Geva Mentor at the back end, and then Joyce Mvula at the front, two players recently involved in the World Cup.

“We’re fully behind Liana and the vision she has set out. She’s got some real experience with Caroline O’Hanlon returning in midcourt and then some younger players who we want to give an opportunity to, the likes of Amy Braithwaite whose come through our pathway.

“She’s in the actual Super League-contracted squad of 12 – that’s a real positive.”

The high turnover owes a lot to the culture of Super League with England Netball capping player contracts at one year in length.

With the move towards professionalising Super League from 2025, as announced by Netball England earlier this month, that may change, but for building towards the 2024 season which runs from February to June, it forces short-term thinking in terms of recruitment.

“That’s a massive part of this professionalisation piece – part of the salary cap and how a contract is set out,” explained Busfield.

“You can only sign players on a one-year contract per the league’s directive, so it’s been difficult. When the athletes aren’t full-time they move for work, they move for jobs or university, and then potentially other playing opportunities – you can’t blame them for that.”

Rhinos tip off the season against Severn Stars at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on February 17, on a weekend where all 10 teams play at the same venue.

A week later they visit Saracens Mavericks before their first home game of the season at the Canon Medical Arena in Sheffield – one of five venues they will play at across Yorkshire – against Cardiff Dragons on March 2.

Rhinos’ showpiece home game is against Loughborough Lightning to the First Direct Arena on April 28.