Leeds Rhinos news: treble-winning assistant-coach rejoins club in new backroom role
A member of Leeds Rhinos’ treble-winning backroom staff has taken a new coaching role at the club.
Barry Eaton helped mastermind Rhinos’ Challenge Cup, Super League leaders and Grand Final clean sweep in 2015. He will be an assistant to women’s team coach Lois Forsell for the 2026 campaign, working alongside Richard Tillotson who has joined the staff from Huddersfield Giants Women.
The duo replace Laura Wilson and Leon Crick. Wilson has left to spend more time with her family while Crick is a former assistant-boss who was interim-coach last season during Forsell’s maternity leave and supported the staff on match days.
Eaton previously had stints as head coach of Keighley Cougars and Hunslet and was assistant to Brian McDermott at Leeds from 2012-2018. A goal-kicking stand-off, scrum-half or hooker, he was capped four times by Wales and also played for clubs including Doncaster, Wakefield Trinity, Dewsbury Rams, Castleford Tigers, Widnes Vikings, Batley Bulldogs and Keighley.
Tillotson, a Rhinos fan, played at semi-professional level for Dewsbury and joined Giants Women’s coaching staff in 2023. He was an assistant-coach with the Wales men’s under-18 side this year.
Forsell said: “I knew pretty early on last year Laura Wilson was going to be stepping back from her role and Leon had come back temporarily to support the team. Laura coached on the P2P [pathway to performance] and had been my assistant-coach for the last two seasons. She was fantastic for the club and I am grateful for all the work she put in.
“Last year we welcomed Barry Eaton in a consultancy role when Leon stepped back and I am delighted he has agreed to come on board in a more permanent role. He has been there and done it and won many trophies with the men’s team.
“He has been head-coach in the Championship so it’s great we can get someone of his experience to be part of the coaching set up. Having him in has also been massive for me in terms of that mentor role and the girls have all warmed to him. He’s brilliant with the squad in how he approaches getting them to learn and understand.”
Of Tillotson, she added: “He has been brilliant and like a breath of fresh air. He’s hard working, committed and passionate and knows his detail as well. The girls have enjoyed having him around because he is so keen and when you are training late on an evening it is good to have someone with that level of energy and we are lucky to have him.”
Tillotson said: “I have grown up a Leeds fan so being asked to join the club was something I was proud about. It was a tough decision as I loved the Giants staff and players, but ultimately it was the right move for me and I can’t wait for the season to start.
“The girls have been really welcoming and the mindset they have and their attitude towards what they are doing is great to see. There’s no secret that as coaches we want to win, we want to be in Grand Finals and that’s where the players want to be too. Everyone’s working hard and coming in early and we are on the right path to be competing next year.”