Leeds Rhinos stronger than ever as netball makes welcome return to enthusiastic Yorkshire crowd

Six hundred or so netball fans were in attendance the last time a professional netball team representing Yorkshire played on a home court in front of their own supporters.

Little could that band of Yorkshire Jets followers, players and officials have known that it would be six long years before the next opportunity.

There was nothing to suggest back in May 2016 that the Jets would be denied a Superleague franchise by Netball England a month later, and would effectively be disbanded. The journey back has been a long one, with plenty of hard work and lessons learned along the way.

But at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield on Monday night, it was obvious it had been a journey worth taking as the Leeds Rhinos were cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd of 850 young and old faces; some from the existing netball community within Yorkshire, some new ones checking out a new sport.

“We’ve been looking forward to this moment for a very long time,” says Mariana Pexton, the former chair of Yorkshire Jets and now a director of Leeds Rhinos. “In a way it’s good that we went away, because we’ve come back stronger.”

Yorkshire Jets were volunteer run, and while the manner of their exit was a sore one at the time, Pexton admits they probably only had another two years to run as a semi-professional operation in an increasingly professionalised sport.

After losing their licence, talks began with Gary Hetherington, chief executive of Leeds Rhinos, about giving a Yorkshire netball programme a professional environment.

When Rhinos first bid to get back into Superleague, Netball England only granted them a player pathway licence, but it was validation that they were moving in the right direction.

The second time they went back, everything was in place, and Leeds Rhinos were granted a Superleague licence in 2019 for the 2021 season, a campaign they made a success of despite playing all of their games behind closed doors due to the pandemic, unaware of how much interest they might be attracting.

“This is exactly the kind of response we wanted,” Pexton tells The Yorkshire Post, as she looks around the netball court at the EIS as it fills up with expectant, excitable faces prior to last night’s 5.30pm start.

“Ideally we want 5,000 in the first direct arena in Leeds for the two games we play there (they also play home games in Hull). It’s about inspiring kids and giving them these role models who work hard, play hard, are very competitive, great leaders out on court and it inspires them to want to play or even administrate, officiate; anything within the game.”

On the set-up at Leeds Rhinos which has allowed them to build a full-time professional squad with a performance pathway beneath it, Pexton adds: “Through the netball community we already know the game. What you then get with Rhinos is the sporting leadership, ability to put on events, the governance, the commercial aspects, professional on-court assistance like sports physio, nutrition, all the stuff that comes with the club’s partnership with Leeds Beckett.

“Together we’ll make sure the business model increases the fanbase, increases participation and provides a strong pathway so kids can see a route all the way to top.”

That is how Leeds Rhinos will ensure netball stays in Yorkshire for the long term. Rhinos lost 67-47 to Team Bath, but Monday night was about so much more.