For Libby and Chloe Haines, two of Tasmania’s most promising young stars, being drafted alongside each other to the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos would be a dream come true.
Born and raised in the Apple Isle, the 18-year-old identical twins have attracted attention from a number of AFLW clubs throughout the year and are likely to be selected in Tuesday’s AFLW Draft.
“North Melbourne that would be good, because it will be in Tasmania and in our home state,” Libby Haines told Fox Sports.
“Obviously we’ve been in Tasmania and we’ve lived there our whole lives, it would be a dream come true.
“It would be a good experience and to get drafted to the same club it would help us push each other more and focus on getting even more fitter, and we’ll have each other along the way.”
With the Roos’ picks few and far between as a result of their outstanding recruitment of AFLW-proven talent earlier this year, there’s no guarantee both the Haines twins will be drafted to the club.
“We do get asked that a fair bit from the clubs, what would you do if we wanted you and not your sister and vice versa, but we just have to say that we’ll be happy for them,” Libby said.
“If Chloe got drafted and I didn’t, then I’d be happy, and we’d see what happens with me I guess.”
“If I got drafted and if Libby didn’t — I’d feel more sad for Libby, then happy for me,” Chloe suggested.
“But we’ll see what happens, hopefully both can get in or next year.”
The twins will no doubt be nervous in the lead-up to Tuesday’s draft given the surprises drafts have thrown up in the past.
The pair are in an envious position however, given they’ve spent the past two years in North’s Next Generation Academy in Tasmania.
“In Grade 10, Clint Proctor came in and took just a football clinic then he went back to Bernie Dockers and said we were all right obviously, then the opportunity to get the North Melbourne scholarship (came up),” Libby said.
“(We) trained a few times just in the North Melbourne scholarship group, which was mostly guys, but there were a few girls there and then last year was our first season of club football.”
Both sisters have made the journey to Victoria in recent months, dipping their toes in the VFLW system by featuring for Melbourne University Women’s Football Club.
“It was a good experience (playing at Melbourne Uni),” Libby said.
“It was heaps different to the league we’ve been playing in — with good pace and everything, but it was good.”
When it comes to talking about their countless strengths, the prospects are humble about their own, but are more than happy to talk about the main attributes of their sister.
“Last year she played mostly forward line or midfield, this year she’s been chucked in the backline and she’s a really good defender that loves a spoil and mark,” Chloe said.
“In the midfield she’s pretty quick and gets the hands off in the midfield and can take a contested mark in the forward line,” Libby added.
