NIC Leeds Rhinos Netball appoint Lauren Palmer as new Head Coach

NIC Leeds Rhinos Netball have appointed Future Roses coach Lauren Palmer, 33, as their new Head Coach. 

Palmer has been part of the Manchester Thunder coaching staff since 2017, starting out as their Youth Academy Head Coach before progressing to coach the Under-19s, 21s and Next Gen sides. She has experienced NSL with Manchester Thunder and was part of the coaching team that won gold at Fast5 in 2022.

Since 2021 she has been the Franchise Pathway Lead for Manchester Thunder where she was responsible for preparing athletes for competition and leading individual athlete development as well as overseeing Pathway coaches and providing them with opportunity and development.

On the international scene, she was appointed as the Roses Academy Assistant Coach in 2023 helping the U17s, U19s and U21s to win gold in Europe Netball.  Since 2024 she has been the Future Roses Assistant Coach and was Assistant Coach at Fast with the Senior Roses.

She will join up with the club after completing her commitments with Thunder and after the Under-21s tour to Australia.

She has been embedded in the netball community for over a decade as a player and a coach and in 2019 formed the Kingsway Power Netball Club which now has over 200 members.  She has a passion for community engagement, with a drive to connect with local clubs and schools, to help inspire and develop the next generation of netball stars.

Speaking about her new role with NIC Leeds Rhinos Netball, Palmer said: “It’s very exciting and an incredible opportunity for me.  I’m coming in with a new group and can’t wait to get started.  I know some of the girls already and I feel it is a great opportunity for me to come and work with an exciting group of athletes and see what we can get out of the season and push the club forward.

“I think I can bring new ideas, I am quite creative so I think outside of the box and hope I can push the players physically and mentally to be their best.  It’s quite a new playing group here so I  am looking forward to us all pulling together to see what we can achieve.

“I know Harriet Jones and Sophie Egbaran through coaching with England and I love working with them so it will be good to continue that at club level.  I’ve known Ella Bowen for many years through the Thunder Pathway and also Joyce Mvula. So there are a few familiar faces but it will be nice to work with some new players too

"I would like to thank all the players, staff and coaches at Manchester Thunder.  I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club and am grateful for the opportunity they gave me and their support for the next step in my career."

NIC Leeds Rhinos Netball Franchise Director Dan Busfield said: “We are delighted to welcome Lauren to the Rhinos. Lauren has developed under some of the best coaches in the game at Manchester Thunder and we are proud to give an opportunity to an English Coach who is highly regarded in the game.

“Lauren demonstrated her desire to move our franchise forward and to help grow the game in Yorkshire and the North East.  She shares our values and has a clear vision about making us into a sustainable top-four Super League side.  She is passionate about the game, knowledgeable and ambitious and I think this is a fantastic appointment for our franchise.”