Haynes high on football heritage

When anyone starts talking about Football legend Polly Farmer’s prowess on the football field then people listen with respect. So highly revered is Farmer that he has a Perth traffic tunnel named after him. Tiah Haynes is related to Polly but despite her enormous football talent does not yet command the same respect. That may soon change. Tiah is about to run out on the ground for West Australia as they compete in the first ever AFL U18 Youth Girls National Championships.

Haynes was one of those keen, feisty girls that didn’t mind playing Auskick with the boys at Karoonda Junior Football Club for 3 years. Luckily her high school, Willetton, have had a successful football culture being very competitive in the Schoolgirls Cup for a number of years. Haynes started in year 10 and has played in Grand Finals each year. From there she caught the eye of the state 16s schoolgirls selectors before being recruited to East Fremantle Women’s Football Club.

Haynes said she gets “proud and excited” when not only herself but another team mate does the 2nd and 3rd efforts. “When a team mate kicks a fantastic goal or lays an awesome tackle it just brings out the fun and skill in me as a player,” Haynes commented excitedly.

If she keeps developing her football Haynes could well emulate Polly Farmer and 4th cousin Mark Williams in terms of her impact on the female game. “I would like to be a member of the first women’s AFL club,” she said. “I’d also love to play on the MCG some day.” And like Farmer Tiah would like to Captain a winning premiership team.

With the deep football heritage behind her there is no doubt Haynes is destined for great things.

Follow Tiah's progress in the first ever National titles for U18 Youth Girls in Melbourne from September 6 with finals contested at Craigieburn Oval on the 11th. Check out the action at AFL Kicks for Chicks on Facebook or Twitter.