Richard Agar: Leeds Rhinos coach is NOT about to join NRL club Cronulla Sharks

Speculation emerged this week linking Agar with an assistant-coach’s position at Cronulla Sharks, where Craig Fitzgibbon will take over as team boss from next season.

The Australian former Test forward played for Hull when Agar was coach there.

The two have remained close friends and are in regular contact, but the Eveing Post can confirm there has been no formal job offer.

Agar, who has also coached at York City Knights, Wakefield Trinity and Warrington Wolves, had a spell with NRL outfit St George-Illawarra Dragons before returning to England to join Rhinos’ backroom staff, as head of player and coach development, at the start of 2019.

He became assistant-coach early that season, was promoted into the head role after Dave Furner’s departure that spring and is on a rolling contract.

He successfully steered them to Super League safety at the end of his first campaign in charge and masterminded last year’s Challenge Cup final win and qualification for the play-offs. Agar returned to England from Australia for family reasons and is understood to be happy at Rhinos, despite the team’s injury- and Covid-hit start to the 2021 campaign.

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