Gary Hetherington has moved to address his future at Leeds Rhinos following links to the current takeover of London Broncos. Hetherington, who has spent almost three decades with the Rhinos, has taken on a role in helping secure the future of the Broncos as they close in on new investment from NRL club, Brisbane Broncos.

It was revealed that Hetherington has played a role in brokering a deal, which would be a seismic development not only for the Broncos but the game across both hemispheres, as it would be the first move by an Australian club to have a stake in a UK-based organisation. That comes at a time when there is growing talk of the NRL investing in Super League.

However, amid uncertainty of what the developments meant for his future at Headingley, Hetherington has outlined his position in the matter, while also insisting he is still committed to his role of chief executive of the Rhinos.

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He said: “Following recent media speculation regarding my role in supporting London Broncos and their need for a new ownership model, I can confirm that following a request from the London club, and supported by our Chairman Paul Caddick, I have given assistance to London in an effort to secure their long-term future and the future for professional Rugby League in London and the South East of England.

“Those who know me, know I have always been passionate about growing our game and I personally believe that having a sustainable team in the nations capital is important, so I was happy to lend my advice and experience to Jason Loubser and his team at the Broncos. I been fortunate throughout my career to have built up strong relationships with people across the game and especially in Australia.

“I am currently on a family holiday in Australia but have also been able to use my time over here to meet with potential investors and I am confident of a successful outcome for London Broncos. I remain committed to Leeds Rhinos as Chief Executive and thank Paul Caddick for his support,” added Hetherington.

Leeds Rhinos Chairman Paul Caddick MBE added: “As a club, we have always stated our belief that, to grow our sport, we need to expand our base. However, if the sport can do that whilst also bringing in new investment and potentially creating a new ownership model, that is an exciting prospect for Rugby League as a whole. I would like to thank Gary for taking time out of his family holiday to assist London. We are very excited about the season ahead at the Rhinos with the squad that Ian Blease and Brad Arthur have assembled and hope for a successful year not just for our club but the sport as a whole.”

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