Rhi in top 100 of country NSW

While the list only took into account Maxwell’s performance in 2024, her stellar netballing career spans much longer.

‘Spot’, as she is affectionately known at the club, is perennially at the top end of club and league vote counts.

Her trophy cabinet would rival many.

Maxwell was senior captain/coach of the Rams A-grade netball side, and was best and fairest the year she helped lead the side to a premiership win in 2022.

In 2024 she was the Murray League’s Most Valuable Player in senior netball.

“It was pretty bloody exciting winning a flag; that’s top of the list for sure,” Maxwell said of her recent netball career.

“The best part of playing team sports is you get to celebrate, both the highs and the lows, with those people you’re playing with.

“I’ve been lucky enough to win a couple of premierships over my playing career, so all of them have been the biggest highlights for me.

“My partner's mum actually sent me the snippet from The Weekly Times - I had no idea about it (before then). It’s pretty cool though.”

Everyone has to start somewhere, and for Rhiannan it was following her mum to training with the Finley Cats where she grew up.

While still too young to play organised netball or train then, she couldn’t keep away from the courts or the game itself.

“My netball started in Finley. Mum always played and was quite good, and I always tagged along.

“I joined in on training sessions. I wasn’t necessarily training, just running around annoying whoever was running it.

“My love of the game stemmed from there.

“I just wanted to get better, and I was lucky to have some amazing coaches and mentors that allowed me to do that.

“I played my proper first games of netball out at Blighty in the minis, because I was too young to play at Finley. After a couple of years, we went back into Finley to play under-13s.”

Maxwell said in her early playing days she did not think she would ever wear the Rams’ blue and gold, but her career pathway saw a move to Deni.

“Obviously Deni and Finley are quite competitive rivals, and growing up I didn’t think I would ever play at Rams.

“I did a couple of my last teaching placements here in town and loved it.

“I knew a few girls from junior netball who always played at Deni, so it was just a natural step.

“The Rams group as a whole is great - as are all the clubs that I’ve played at.

“They all have their own individual strengths and that’s what makes a club a great one.”

Being both a great netballer and being a leader makes ‘Spot’ the whole package for a club.

One of the biggest parts of being a leader, though, is imparting wisdom on younger players and developing those players.

“Absolutely, mentoring is a huge thing for any senior netballer. I always say to any young girl that the basic skills are the thing you need to master.

“If you can do the basics well, you’re going to succeed.

“And you need to enjoy what you’re doing, because there is no point in doing something if you don’t enjoy it.”

While she enjoys that mentor role, Maxwell has said she will be taking a step back from coaching this next season, after being a playing coach for the last three years.

And for anyone looking to make a mark in netball, Maxwell had some simple advice.

“I think netball is all about mastering the basics. If you can master them in whatever grade you’re playing, you’re going to succeed.

“Practise, whether it’s shooting, passing, footwork, fitness, be committed to getting better, and it’ll come naturally.”