Leeds Rhinos Netball's new coach Lauren Palmer revelling in hard-working, family environment

Despite only being in her early 30s, Palmer has been on the coaching pathway for nearly 15 years, making her way through the age groups and onto the first team bench at established Netball Super League powerhouse Manchester Thunder.

There was air of trepidation about taking on her first head coaching role, particularly as she didn’t start work as Liana Leota’ successor until the end of January. But despite a disrupted pre-season for her squad, Rhinos have burst out of the gate, reaching the final of the inaugural Netball Super Cup in Sheffield before winning their regular-season opener against Birmingham Panthers a week later.

Not that anyone in the Rhinos netball framework above her is putting any deadlines on how quickly she gets to grips with the leadership role.

“For myself, I’ve been in and around Super League in assistant roles, but making that step up you’re always sceptical and nervous of what’s going to happen,” she told The Yorkshire Post.

“But the Rhinos family have really embraced me and just said ‘whatever happens, we’ve got your back’, and that took some of the pressure off and has allowed me to focus purely on the netball.

“It’s a really good environment, and definitely one I’m confident I’ll thrive in.”

Having got an early look at five of their seven opponents this season across the first two weeks of the campaign, primarily through playing four in the quick-fire Cup tournament, Rhinos go head-to-head with a bit of an unknown quantity in London Mavericks in the capital on Sunday afternoon.

“We’ve had time this week to do our homework,” said Palmer, who prides herself in getting her staff and players as well versed in opponents as possible.

“Not playing until Sunday means we got three full sessions this week, whereas last week with playing Birmingham on the Friday we were only able to get two in. It means our prep has been a bit more thorough, focusing on tidying up on last Friday and then focusing in on Mavs on Sunday.

“In a regular week we’ll spend all day Monday looking at us, looking at them, then the girls have two sessions a week where we pick apart their game and our game.

“We definitely do the prep, then hopefully it all comes together on Sunday.”