sport, local-sport, Chloe Haines, Libby Haines, North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos, AFLW

Some valuable lessons for both life and football were the biggest benefits from Wynyard's Haines twins' first year on an AFLW list, an experience that has the 19-year-olds hungry for an even bigger taste of it in 2020. Speaking for the first time since being re-signed by the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos, defender Libby and midfielder Chloe on Tuesday reflected about how rewarding the experience had been for them, something that can't be measured in simple footy statistics or physical testing. Despite the fact they could only manage one game between them (Chloe in the round three outing against the Western Bulldogs in Launceston) being in that elite environment under coach Scott Gowans was a "great experience". "We learnt what it is like, and what you need to do to be elite on and off the field,'' Chloe said. "You really don't know what that is like until you really do get into it. Only playing the one game, that doesn't really faze me now that I am re-signed, and Libby would be the same, as we know our hard work is paying off, as if they didn't believe in us then they wouldn't re-sign us." Chloe, who at pick 55 went three selections earlier than Libby in last year's national draft, described her one outing as a Roo as "really exciting". "I was pretty nervous as I didn't really know what to expect out there, but I felt good once I got out there,'' she said. "I think I laid a tackle and I could hear the crowd support and my name, and it was really good to hear that. "It makes me excited for next year and hopefully I can get some more games, and that can be the entree and then we can move on to the main meal." Libby added: "After being part of it all I am pretty desperate to get there and be in the team for round one next year. "It is that change not only from training hard, but what you do off the field and what you eat and how you are acting in front of other people." That aspect, as Chloe explained, stretched to how one must act on vehicles like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. "You feel like you are always being watched, and you know now you need to be careful about the things you put on social media and pretty much anything you do you do think "would I do this in my North Melbourne gear?','' she said. "We need always think whether that is the kind of thing you would want people that look up to you to see." It is this attitude the sisters will take with them on the next chapter of their football journey, which has seen Windsor Park become their new football home as members of Launceston's TSLW side. Despite the extra travel they now have to undertake with Burnie no longer part of the statewide competition, they said the Blues were the "perfect fit". Fellow Kangaroo Daria Bannister is one of the leaders of the team, which also has potential draftee Mia King on its books. They made their debut on Sunday in the win over Glenorchy, with Chloe in the best after a strong game on a wing with Libby, as usual, a fixture in defence. "Straight after last season, we pretty much had every club write to use wanting us to play for them, but we had our eyes set on Launnie from the get go really and we were keen for them,'' Libby said. "We don't really worry about the travel as it is just a really good environment. "It was hard to start off with, as we were training three times a week in Launnie, as you'd pretty much finish work at 2.30pm (at the Waterfront Hotel at Wynyard) and then get on the road at 3pm and be home at 10.30pm, but you do get used to it and you make it part of your lifestyle." Such is the connection they already have with the Blues, who have also picked up former Docker Lauren Stevenson, the twins admitted there is a strong chance they would still be donning the navy blue even if the Dockers were still up and going. But they would still like to see the Coast again have representation in the competition soon. They openly admit they would likely still be favouring basketball if Burnie did not present them with the chance to play football, and were hopeful other young North-West Coast footballers were not missing out. "I reckon it is a lot harder for young girls trying to get up to the TSLW level in the North-West because there is no Burnie anymore,'' Libby said "If you have school to travel two hours down for training and back, that would be hard. I reckon we would be playing for Wynyard at least and would have focused on basketball more. We would be nothing without good old Burnie, so it would be great to see another North-West side one day." But the idea of playing at home at Dial Park at Penguin one day for the Kangaroos, with the Central Coast Council and AFL Tasmania keen to see elite content at the ground, is a dream they would love to see come true. The winter will involve see time in the VFLW with Melbourne Uni, but it is yet to be confirmed which fixtures they will be part of. The Haines twins were two of the last three players to be re-signed for the fourth edition of the AFLW, alongside fellow Wynyard product Emma Humphries, who won't be playing VFLW or TSLW due to a shoulder reconstruction. Vice-captain Brittany Gibson, Bannister and Nicole Bresnehan are the other Tasmanians who will return next season, with Jessie WIlliams and Maddison Smith delisted. Sign up to The Advocate's Footy Fever Newsletter here.

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