Leeds Rhinos have announced a shake up to their coaching team heading into the 2026 season with a new academy coach taking the reins. Simon Brown will lead the Rhinos academy from next season, taking over from Chev Walker, who will remain in his role as transition coach at Headingley.
Brown currently works under Walker as an assistant but he will step up to take on the academy coach job for next season and lead the club’s youth programme, which has been extremely successful in recent years.
The likes of Presley Cassell, Riley Lumb and Jack Sinfield have emerged through the ranks at Headingley in recent years, while underneath the first team is a raft of talent pushing for their opportunities. That point is proven by the seasons the club’s reserves and academy sides have had, losing just one game each all year.
Walker will focus on working with those players attempting to make the transition from the youth ranks and second string to Brad Arthur’s first-team.
Development coach Mark Butterill has been promoted to head of pathways talent ID, while Darren Higgins will become the club’s new head of youth.
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Ian Blease explains Leeds Rhinos coaching changes
Speaking on the changes made to the academy programme at Headingley, sporting director Ian Blease said: “Our talent pathway is a major focus for us as a club, not only identifying the best young talent but almost as importantly nurturing and developing that talent so those players are ready to come through into the Super League squad.
“Chev Walker has done an outstanding job this season combining his role as Transition Coach for the first team with that of Head Coach for the Academy and Reserves team. The importance of this role, which Brad Arthur was instrumental in creating this time last year, can be seen with the likes of Zak Lloyd, Jacob Stead, George Brown and most notably Presley Cassell, who have been able to step up to be involved with the first team without any hesitation.
“Simon Brown is a talented young coach who himself came through the player pathway at Leeds before moving to Sheffield to establish himself as a professional. After retiring at Hunslet, he began his coaching journey at Sheffield and has impressed everyone at the Rhinos since coming back to AMT Headingley this year.
“Mark and Darren are two highly knowledgeable people who have worked at every level of Rugby League in the region. They have developed as coaches through the Rhinos whether that is working on aspects like student Rugby League or the Rhinos Talent Pathway with the North v South programme.
“They have built up contacts and connections across the game and it is great that we are able to reward their hard work and dedication by offering them these new positions, showing how the club wants to develop the next generation of coaches as well as players.”
