Thursday 13 July 2017 16:29, UK
Leeds are keeping the door open at Headingley for Danny McGuire to return to the club in an off-field role when he hangs up his boots.
The 34-year-old Rhinos captain has announced he will bring his 15-year playing career with his home-town club to a close at the end of the season but is not yet ready to retire.
Under chief executive Gary Hetherington, Leeds have a policy of giving their long-serving players the opportunity to stay on at the club following their retirement.
Kylie Leuluai took up a player welfare role two years ago when Jamie Peacock and Kevin Sinfield opted to move on - and the popular McGuire is likely to find himself back at Headingley eventually.
Leeds coach Brian McDermott says he did not try to persuade the former England international to change his mind about leaving.
"Nobody wanted Danny to move on," McDermott said. "He's got to that stage of his career where he feels it's the right time to move.
"To try and persuade him to stay would be messy. He doesn't want to be a coach, he's expressed a preference to go into the commercial department."
McGuire, who is not short of options, says he should know within a month where he will be playing in 2018, with Hull KR shaping as a potential destination under Peacock, the club's head of rugby.
Peacock, Sinfield and Leuluai all bowed out on a high as Leeds completed the treble in 2015, and McDermott says McGuire's decision to leave could similarly provide the team with extra motivation.
"We went through this with Peacock, Sinfield and Leuluai in 2015 and for a period of time you just get on with it," McDermott said.
"As the season starts drawing to a close, it won't become the centre of our focus but it will be in there. I am sure it will have a bearing towards the back end."
McDermott says Hetherington and the rest of the club directors will have a say on McGuire's successor as captain.
