LEEDS RHINOS have made a strategic move to bolster their coaching structure by appointing Chev Walker in a new role of transition coach which will also see him take charge of the reserve and academy teams from 2025.
Walker, a former player with a wealth of experience, is stepping into a position that bridges the gap between the club’s youth development and first-team success.
Speaking about his new role, Walker said: “I get to support the fringe players within the first team, but also work all the way down through the Under 18s into the scholarship level.
“Within the role, it’s really important to take a lot of workload off the Super League coaches, but also give those lads who are not quite in the first team the opportunity to learn and build the standards from the bottom upwards.”
“The coaches in the first team can just focus on the first team, and the fringe players get what they need as well,” he explained. “The timescales are a little bit different to playing, but it’s the same detail—more detail, actually—that they need.”
Having previously held a similar role at Bradford Bulls, where he served as assistant coach across all three grades, Walker understands the value of building strong foundations. “I’ve done a version of it before at Bradford, and I definitely saw the benefit in that,” he said. “There’s a bridge, and you just build the layers. Hopefully, we’re ahead of the rest of the pack, and we can get these lads closer to being Super League players quicker than the rest of the competition.”
Walker’s coaching philosophy is heavily influenced by his own experiences as a player. He recalls the lessons he learned from mentors like Dean Bell, whose emphasis on life skills left a lasting impact. “I probably coach from the experiences I got, and I always want to give players the opportunity to get the most out of their careers,” he said. “That period of their lives is really important. Dean Bell set some standards for us all, and it stuck with me throughout my career. Even now, I still think about some of the lessons he taught us.”
While rugby skills are a key focus, Walker is equally committed to preparing young players for the challenges of professional life. “It’s not just about rugby; it’s about life skills and giving these young players a good start to their careers,” he said. “I’m trying to get them prepared the best they can so that the first team can focus on playing the game on the weekend.
“The kids in the academy have been working really hard, and there’s a real good feeling around the place at the minute,” he said. “We’re going in the right direction. We’re not getting carried away, but the standards from the top to the bottom have really gone up a level.”
