Leeds Rhinos CEO ‘to move clubs’ with club icon to take over

Leeds Rhinos CEO Gary Hetherington is reportedly set to step down from his lengthy association with the club to take up a similar role heading up Championship side London Broncos.

That is according to Forty20 magazine, who say that Hetherington will become the executive chairman of the Broncos when he leaves his role at Leeds later this year.

London have entered into an agreement with NRL heavyweights Dolphins that will attempt to catapult the sport in the capital to new heights – with Hetherington at the centre of the proposals, according to the reports.

But perhaps most interestingly, a new era for Leeds will be ushered in by Jamie Jones-Buchanan becoming the new CEO in Hetherington’s place.

Hetherington has been working with the Broncos ever since David Hughes announced plans to sell the club at the end of last season. He has been acting as a broker for interested parties who have been looking at taking on the Championship club.

And it appears those plans are now accelerating fast, with Hetherington set to end a near 30-year association with the Rhinos to go full-time at London.

He came on board at Leeds at the advent of the Super League era and revived the clubs’ fortunes – making them one of the biggest forces in the game for a prolonged period.

Leeds won a plethora of trophies and were renowned as one of the sport’s biggest and most successful sides.

However, Hetherington relinquished his involvement in Leeds’ rugby operations last year, with former Salford CEO Ian Blease stepping in as part of a revamp of the club.

And now, it appears Hetherington will leave Leeds altogether, with Jones-Buchanan reportedly eyed up to step into the breach as a new era at AMT Headingley – and the Broncos – begins.

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