Tuaine Keenan ready to reconnect with Leeds Rhinos’ Yorkshire fanbase in Vitality Superleague

For at the English Institute of Sport on Monday (5.30pm) the Rhinos will finally play in front of a home Yorkshire crowd for the first time, despite having already completed one full season among the United Kingdom’s netball elite. The Covid pandemic forced the 2021 Superleague season – in which rookies Leeds made it all the way to the final four weekend – to be played behind closed doors, meaning Rhinos have never had a true gauge of just how many fans they have.

Goal keeper Tuaine Keenan is in unique territory in the Rhinos squad, having played for the Yorkshire Jets before they were disbanded. She last played in front of Yorkshire netball fans in 2016 and will be reacquinted with some of them on Monday.

“The atmosphere at those games was fantastic, you could always hear the crowd,” says the 29-year-old New Zealander, who despite playing for Loughborough and Northumbria in between her two stops in the White Rose county, has made Leeds her home.

“They gave an extra incentive, they were always enthusiastic whether you were winning or losing. I’m happy that they’re getting the chance to see a professional netball team again, that they get the chance to connect to the girls.

“And for us it’s great to have them there. For the girls that have never played in front of fans it’s going to be very exciting and from a fan perspective, it’ll make the game more accessible.”

Before then, Rhinos need to take care of business against Strathclyde Sirens, just five days after their opening game was postponed due to Covid.

Keenan said: “It was interesting to see all the games at the weekend to gauge the standard of the opposition. Certain elements of our play will be a little bit different this year but we will still keep faithful to the style of play everyone got used to last season.”