Sky Sports Rugby League’s Jamie Jones-Buchanan will take over as Leeds Rhinos CEO at the end of the season, as Gary Hetherington has announced he will depart after 29 years.
Hetherington, 70, joined Leeds in December 1996 with the club £6m in debt, on the brink of relegation and their historic home at Headingley in threat of losing Test and county cricket. Indeed, Rhinos faced the prospect of moving across the city to play at Elland Road.
Over 29 years, Hetherington has led the club to an unprecedented period of success with eight Grand Final wins, four Challenge Cup wins, three League Leaders Shields and three World titles.
Hetherington will continue in his role for the remainder of the 2025 season while working alongside the executive team to ensure a smooth handover of his duties.
As part of this transition, and at the request of Hetherington, he will spend two days a week supporting London Broncos.
Commenting on the announcement Leeds Rhinos chairman Paul Caddick MBE said, “First and foremost, I would like to thank Gary for everything he has done for Leeds Rhinos but also the game of rugby league and the city of Leeds. When we first arrived at the club, we both believed in the potential for success at Leeds and we founded a partnership that ensured the club could thrive on and off the field.
“Over the last 18 months we have embarked on a period of transition to take the business forward that has included an evolution of our board of directors which has seen Ian Blease, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Neil McGawley, Allie Hulme and Neil Wilson add their weight of experience and knowledge to our leadership.
“We have the best commercial operation in the sport, led by Rob Oates, and our stadium is now world class with Sue Ward providing the vision for future plans for our home while Nigel Chambers expertly leads our financial planning. With a strong board of directors and a talented management team in place, we are confident of moving forward to grasp the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Jenna and Jon are joined by the England Women captain Jodie Cunningham and the head coach Stuart Barrow on this week’s episode of The Bench
Hetherington added: “I’ve had a good innings and it’s been an amazing journey. At the outset, we had four key objectives, to give the city a team to be proud of, to convert the loss-making business into a sustainable one, to re-develop the stadium facilities and to connect with our community and make a positive difference.
“Leeds RL and Headingley presented a big challenge in 1996 and a very different one to what I took on with the creation of Sheffield Eagles in 1984. And I will leave knowing both the Rhinos and our foundation are in good shape. They are full of talented and hardworking people who care about the club and the game, and I will miss them all, but I will continue to serve the Rhinos Players’ Association Committee and support the Leeds Rhinos Foundation as its lifetime president.
“I look back with pride on the rebrand to Leeds Rhinos, the birth of the foundation, the stadium re-development, our training complex at Kirkstall and the successful Rhinos teams, players and staff, and most of all, on building the club’s reputation to always serving the game in the best possible way.
“I’m confident this season will be a successful one for all our fans and sponsors and I’ll do all I can to ensure a smooth handover between now and the end of the season.”
Sky Sports will again show every game of the Super League live this season – including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining four matches each week shown on Sky Sports+
