Footage showing several Leeds Rhinos' squads training collectively has been explained by coach Rohan Smith. The club's official channels showed members of both the men's and women's teams training together, as well as athletes from other squads, getting together for a club-wide training session.
Around 140 players from various branches of the club's playing staff were present, with a combined session taking place before teams went away separately. In what is a relatively unseen move, men's head coach Smith explained the logic behind the move.
"It was great to get everyone together for something we thought was really important. We'd have up to 140 players in one heartbeat to try and bring the club together rather than a series of teams wearing the same badge. It comes with interaction and connection between the different grades and teams.
"You can get caught up in your own back yard and it's important to cross paths. After some initial work together we did some stuff separately and it's all been positive. We've another couple of things pencilled in together, we have a Christmas lunch across all staff and teams within the Rhinos brands, it's vital people feel part of something bigger than themselves and their own team. It's a club, not a collection of all teams."
The club's Women's side won the Grand Final this year while the men reached Old Trafford. The wheelchair side retained the Challenge Cup before losing the Grand Final to Halifax.
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