Just last month the strapping Central West number eight was named as NSW Country women’s rugby player of the tournament played at Campbelltown.

No one was more surprised than Shoulders, given the former Sydney representative’s age and the fact she had some time away from the game.

However, it made sense, she was a more dominant and influential player than she had been.

Shoulders, who won back-to-back national rugby championships for Sydney in 2007-08, said her game had developed to the point where she’s better able to read the play.

A trait she learnt from playing alongside former Sydney and Wallaroos teammates Alexandra Hargreaves, Dalena Dennison, Cheryl Soon, Tui Ormsby and dual league-union internationals Lisa Fiaola and Ruan Sims. 

“Your job was made easy being in that squad, with so many dominant players," Shoulders said.

“You just had to worry about your own role, as everyone knew what their job was," she added.

Shoulders has transferred everything she learnt from her Sydney playing days to her Central West teammates this season.

But when asked if she felt like heading to a Super W team to test her rugby mettle at a higher level she said if younger she’d pursue it but with age comes responsibility and her police career takes priority.

She said the struggle for recognition of Australia’s women’s rugby players a decade ago had been well worth it, seeing the professional foothold the game now has. 

“I had a break due to financial reasons,” Shoulder said.

“You know how expensive it was getting to play reps and it was just getting ridiculous, I had a mortgage and I couldn’t afford to get injured because I lost money.

“Like when injured at work and on restricted duties you lose a couple of hundred dollars per fortnight, so I had the break,” she said.

Not only has Shoulders excelled on the field, but she’s now giving back to the local country rugby community in much the same manner her best friend Zarby did for the Penrith Shemus.

She didn’t realise her role until the NSW Country championships; to inspire the young girl under her tutelage onto bigger and better things in the future and possible Super W contracts in the not too distant future.

Marita on left, Sandra on the right who was captain of championship winning Illawarra team

In the same generation but a different sport is niece Caitlin Shoulders, who played for the Newcastle Knights in the Tarsha Gale Cup and the grand final against Cronulla earlier this year.

She revealed Caitlin has put her name forward for the rugby league talent identification day before the re-installed national women’s championships next weekend.

Whatever the future may hold, Shoulders will be back on the field for the NSW Police at the national police rugby union championships alongside her old Sydney teammates in Sandra Laughlin and Melinda Dunn.

All three will be vying for selection into the national police team which will play at the Police International championships in Hong Kong in 2019.