A LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY BUT WE WILL GET THERE
Rhinos chief finally sees light at the end of the lockdown tunnel.. but it may take years
GARY HETHERINGTON insists rugby league can see light at the end of the lockdown tunnel – but admits it will take years for the sport to recover from the last 12 months.
Super League kicks off behind closed doors on March 26 having defied the odds to complete the 2020 campaign without supporters.
Leeds chief executive Hetherington (right) hopes the return of fans won’t be that much further away, but concedes that further challenges lie ahead. The Rhinos boss said: “We’ve come out of last year although we have taken a significant loan through the government’s initiative with the RFL.
“Furlough has been a God send, as well as the support from all the players and staff, some of who were on a 40 per cent pay cut right through the year, and who still are now in some cases.
“Everybody has made significant sacrifices, including fans and our corporate partners.
“They could have taken significant rebates back which would have crippled us financially, but they’ve been totally supportive and that’s helped us come through it.
“It’s another challenging year ahead and it will be even more challenging the longer we go without crowds. “We’re hoping fans will be allowed back in as soon as possible to help us get back on track, because it will take several years.
“But absolutely there is light at the end of the tunnel and the vaccine has been a real gamechanger. With the rate they are vaccinating people, I’m optimistic that by April we will start to get somewhere near to normal, because the club, and the whole economy, needs it.”
Hetherington has complete confidence in the Rhinos’ onfield prospects, having stepped back from making decisions on playing matters for the first time in over three decades involved with the sport.
Kevin Sinfield’s appointment as director of rugby in 2018 has taken that responsibly away from Hetherington but he knows the team is in good hands. He added: “We’ve got a really good operation now.
“Richard Agar has proved to be the man for the coaching job, and him and Kevin have a close working relationship.
“Bringing in Sean Long has strengthened our backroom staff and our squad is the best we’ve had in quite a long time.
“A lot of clubs can say the same and it should be a really competitive Super League.
“Winning the Challenge Cup last year was a significant boost, and there’s an expectation that we will be challenging on all fronts this year.”