Young defender Yomi Wilson re-signs for second year at NIC Rhinos

England As defender Yomi Wilson will continue her development with Leeds Rhinos Netball after an impressive 2026 Netball Super League campaign.

After making the move to Leeds ahead of the 2026 season, Wilson quickly established herself as an important member of the Rhinos defensive unit. The versatile defender featured in 13 league matches, showcasing the athleticism, reach and composure that have made her one of England's most exciting young defensive talents.

Standing 186 centimetres tall at goal keeper, Wilson made an immediate impression during her debut campaign in blue and amber. As injuries reshaped the Rhinos' defensive combinations throughout the season, she embraced an increased role with maturity beyond her years, finishing the campaign with 37 defensive gains, 33 deflections and 14 rebounds.

Wilson arrived at Leeds from Manchester Thunder's NXT Gen programme, reuniting with former pathway coach Lauren Palmer, having captained the Thunder development side while also balancing a Law degree at the University of Manchester.

Her impressive rise has continued on the international stage. Having progressed through the Future Roses pathway, Wilson earned selection to the Vitality Roses programme and has continued to establish herself as a player of international calibre, impressing at the Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar 2025. She was recently announced as part of the England A squad for the 2026/27 international season.

Still only at the beginning of her Netball Super League career, Wilson's re-signing represents another significant step in the Rhinos' commitment to building a squad around talented young players with the potential to become established international athletes.

Yomi Wilson said: “I’m so grateful to get the opportunity to compete in the NSL for another year. Each year the competition gets stronger and to be amongst talented players is really exciting. I can’t wait to keep learning with the group.

Just being in and around the environment with the girls was an amazing experience. We didn’t finish where we wanted last season so I’m excited to get work with the girls and get the results we want for the season."

Lauren Palmer said: “Yomi is a really exciting young defender who has incredible range and athleticism. We saw glimpses of what she’s capable of last season, and I’m really looking forward to working with her again and helping her continue to develop within our Rhinos environment.

“She’s still got so much potential and there’s plenty more to come from her. I’m really happy that we’ve been able to retain Yomi alongside Paige and Harriet as part of our core group, because we started to see what this group is capable of last season and I’m excited to see them build on that in 2027.”

Wilson becomes the latest player confirmed for the Rhinos' 2027 squad as preparations continue ahead of the new Netball Super League season.