BIO

Rodney Maynard joined Norwood in 1984, via Lameroo North Football Club and Prince Alfred College. A hard working footballer and a superb mark, he was comfortable playing at either end of the ground.

Maynard made his League debut in 1984. However, he played predominantly in the Reserves for the next three seasons, and was an important member of the 1985 and 1986 Reserve Premiership teams.

In 1987 he became a regular member of the League team and won the most improved player award. His good form continued, and in 1988 was runner-up in the best & fairest award. He was also the club's leading goalkicker and capped off a fine season by receiving a Player Five Year Service Award.

The reliable utility had an even better season in 1989. Playing exceptional football at centre half back and centre half forward, he won the coveted best and fairest award, as well as making the State squad.

In 1991, Maynard was an inaugural squad member of the newly formed Adelaide Crows. He was named in the back pocket in the Crows' first game, against Hawthorn at Football Park. Selected mainly as a defender, he played 81 AFL games between 1991 and 1995, and was named in the Crows' official Team of the Decade.

At the end of the 1995 season, at the relatively young age of 29, Maynard moved back to the family farm at Lameroo. He continued his football with the Lameroo Football Club ( Lameroo North had merged with Lameroo South in 1991), playing in the Mallee Football League. He won six Mail Medals as the best and fairest in the MFL, and  played in his sixth premiership for the Lameroo Hawks in 2008. He represented the South Australian Country team that competed in the Australian Country Championships several times, and was captain-coach of the side twice. He is the current coach of Lameroo, and also umpired for a couple of seasons.

His brother Brenton also played for Norwood (49 games, 1986-89),and won four Mail Medals while playing for Lameroo.

R Cialini Dec 2014