Ex-Super League coach returns to Australia for head coaching role

After parting ways with the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League as their head coach, Rohan Smith has returned to Australia and earned a new head coaching gig

Rohan, the son of renowned coach Brian Smith, has spent the past three seasons coaching Leeds before being succeeded by former Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur.

This came after Smith and the club decided to part ways, having gone from making the 2022 Grand Final to losing three matches in four games.

Linked with a return to the Newcastle Knights, it has been confirmed that he will be the new head coach of the Norths Devils replacing Dave Elliott as the club look to win back-to-back titles in the QLD Cup and NRL State Championships.

“I very much enjoyed my five seasons at Norths which produced many friendships and very positive memories for me and my family,” Smith said.

“We're very much looking forward to coming back to a club that has such a strong history and plays such an important role in its community.

“The future of the Devils continues to be positive and we look forward to the next steps.”

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Smith previously spent time on the Knights' coaching staff to assist his father Brian Smith between 2007 to 2009 before following him to the Sydney Roosters leaving the club in the process.

He has also spent time working at the New Zealand Warriors, Penrith Panthers and Gold Coast Titans in the NRL competition, as well as being the head coach of the Bradford Bulls in the Super League (2016-17) and head coach of the Norths Devils in QLD Cup competition (2018-22).

“We are extremely grateful to Dave for his two years at our club and for his work during a memorable 2024 that featured our third premiership in four seasons,” Devils CEO Troy Rovelli added.

“Rohan Smith returns to our club as we build on the benchmarks set within this club over recent years.

“Rohan is simply an outstanding coach who understands our club and specialises in identifying and developing talent. He oversaw a squad in 2021 without any NRL-contracted players that went on to win the premiership and lost just two matches during the season.

“We have been fortunate to watch 15 of our players go from Devils contracts to fulltime contracts in the last four years and the culture created by Rohan has played a significant role in that.

“We look forward to seeing Rohan and Kevin Neighbour and their families back at our club.”