Hull KR head coach Tony Smith is confident his nephew Rohan will be a success at Leeds Rhinos and revealed his encouragement to take the role, as he ruled out joining him at Headingley in any capacity.
Rohan was appointed last week as the new Leeds boss, his first coaching role in Super League, although he will not be in charge for this Friday’s match against the Robins.
His uncle will leave Hull KR at the end of the season, but Tony confirmed he would not be joining Rohan at Leeds in a backroom role.
However, Robins chief Smith said that he had offered his recommendation to go for the Headingley job.
“When the whole process started he sent me a text and asked is there’s any reason why he shouldn’t go for that job,” he explained.
“And I went ‘absolutely not, there’s no reason why not. I think it will be a really great fit for you and the club.’
“From that moment until such time as he was accepted and told he would get the job, we didn’t communicate, because I didn’t want to put him in a position where he would have to tell me a fib or a non-truth.
“Having worked with (Leeds chief executive) Gary Hetherington in the past, he’s got a saying that if more than two people know, it’s not a secret anymore. I kept well out of it so he wasn’t in an awkward position.
“But I was delighted for him because I am one of his biggest supporters.”
And he is confident that Rohan will be success in the role that he held himself for four years between 2004 and 2007, winning four major trophies.
“I think he’s ready for it and I think he’s capable of doing a really good job there,” said Smith.
Not that he expects to need to offer too much advice, insisting that the new Leeds coach is “his own man”.
Smith added: “He’s confident and competent. I’m sure he won’t shy away from asking me if I’ve had some experiences he hasn’t, and we like each other and trust each other.
“But he is his own man. He’ll work things out, he doesn’t need to be asking his uncle or his dad.”
