Leeds Rhinos Netball’s Sienna Rushton is riding on crest of a fans’ wave

Rushton, like so many of her Rhinos team-mates, had grown accustomed to only knowing the fledgling netball team’s fans virtually, either through Zoom meetings of social media interaction.

So when finally they could meet those fans, free from the constraints of Covid which had forced all games in their first season in Vitality Superleague behind closed doors, it was quite the experience.

“It’s been really hard having only experienced that virtual connection,” says Rushton, 21, a goal attacker who joined the Rhinos before their maiden season in the top flight in 2021.

“Our fans have been really supportive as best they can be, but that face-to-face engagement with fans was so special.

“It was amazing for us as a team, what I love is that you could contribute something so small in the game but it was still supported passionately, from a goal really close in to a goal really far out.

“They really carried us through the hour, especially when you’re on your last legs.”

A crowd of 850 greeted the Rhinos at the EIS, one characterised largely by young families who waved their flags and cheered their new heroes.

For players and fans alike, it is very much a case of getting to know one another.

“There’s definitely stereotypes of crowds,” says Rushton, ahead of today’s game with the Celtic Dragons in Cardiff.

“When we were at Strathclyde Sirens last Friday, they have a really polite crowd, they never boo the umpires.

“Then there are teams that have raucuous crowds. Our crowd was very family friendly, very supportive of us. I cannot reiterate how lovely it is to have that face-to-face engagement.”

Rushton came off the bench on Monday, a role she was expecting to fill last season until an injury to big signing Donnell Wallam threw her into the spotlight.

As a goal scorer, one of only two players who can score points for her team, there was no place to hide.

“I was thrown in at the deep end, but I had exponential growth,” she reflects.

Rushton’s effort in relief of Wallam earned her a selection to England Roses performance pathway programme and meant she spent much of the off-season training with the senior Roses squad who will this summer defend their Commonwealth Games gold medals in Birmingham.

“Training against the best defenders in the country is never going to be a bad thing. Playing against players who are so physically strong, so game-sense aware, and game clever, you’re forced into so many errors.

“For example, my passing; if it’s not pin-point they’re going to be able to read it and get and interception. That’s really improved through exposure to that standard of player.

“I’m going into my second season feeling I have that experience now under my belt so, if I’m on the bench, I’m desperate to get on court.”