Leeds Rhinos Netball pull off signing coup with rising Yorkshire star Jasmine Brown and Paige Reed

Rhinos has signed Doncaster-born Jasmine Brown following a stellar second year of professional netball with Birmingham Panthers, in which she was named to the league’s team of the season and earned England Roses recognition.

Brown, who has Australian and Jamaican heritage, was a budding tennis player in her teens and has only taken netball seriously for six years.

She started at at Doncaster Rebels before joining Charnwood after moving to the Midlands to study sports psychology at Loughborough University.

She played Netball Super League in 2023 for Severn Stars before becoming an integral part of the first Birmingham Panthers squad.

Her club form saw her elevated to the England A squad as part of the Vitality Roses’ preparations for the Nations Cup in January 2025.

For a Yorkshirewoman, coming home to her county’s franchise was an easy move to make.

“It feels special to sign for the Rhinos,” said Brown. “I think with a club being close to home as well. It feels nice to play for a Yorkshire side as a Yorkshire girl myself.

“I think it's kind of just aligned nicely this year in terms of the girls that are in the squad already and the defensive unit that we have. It's going to be exciting.”

Rhinos Netball head coach Lauren Palmer - who has already tempted Joyce Mvulu, Harriet Jones, Cassie Howard and Paige Reed back for another season in Leeds - said: “I’m massively excited to welcome Jas Brown to the Rhinos.

“She brings a strong physical presence, impressive foot speed, and the ability to contest ball both inside and outside the circle.

“Jas is a vocal leader at the back and someone who leads by example with her intensity and commitment. I can’t wait to start working with her and add more layers to her game - she’s a brilliant addition to our defensive group and our wider team environment.”

Brown added: “Lauren’s vision and the way she was describing it to me was something that I wanted to be a part of.”

Reed, who plays at both goal attack and goal shooter, joins from Manchester Thunder where she played for the last two seasons, helping the team to a Grand Final spot in 2024.

This will be Reed’s eighth Netball Super League season, having made her debut in 2018 with Team Bath and then joined Severn Stars, where she played over 40 games.

For the Rhinos she made 18 appearances and scored 310 goals before the switch to northern rivals Thunder.

Internationally, Reed has come through the Vitality Roses Pathway, representing England at Under-17 and Under-21 and joined the Future Roses programme in 2018-19. Her first Vitality Roses call-up was in 2022 and the Fast5 World Series.

This year she made her international debut against Malawi and won Player of the Match.

Reed said: “It's exciting to come back to Leeds, there's something about the Rhinos for the next couple of years that's really exciting to be a part of. I'm really excited to see what I can bring to the new squad and I can’t wait to see all the amazing fans again.

“When I first came to Leeds Rhinos, the first thing that I remember standing out straight away is just how nice everyone was and how friendly and welcoming they were. I’m looking forward to being welcomed in as a Southerner and slowly get involved more in the Northern community.

“It will be great to play alongside Joyce, I feel like we've always kind of crossed paths just after each other. When I went to Thunder, she had just left so it's great that we can finally come together and see what we can do on court."