THEY might have fallen in the grand final, but Queanbeyan Tigerettes sisters Cassie and Kate Reid are aspiring to national duties after being a part of the most successful NSW/ACT girls squad ever.
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Their team claimed victories for the first time in the five-year history of the AFL Youth Girls National Championships, winning two games and drawing another to reach the group B grand-final at the Gungahlin Enclosed ovals in Canberra last week.
It was the first time NSW/ACT had kicked more than a single goal in the tournament which wrapped up last Thursday.
And despite the girls going down to indigenous representative side the Woomeras 6.3.39 to 4.4.28 in the final, the experience was nothing but positive for the sisters.
Eighteen-year old elder sister Cassie said she and fellow prodigy Kate would love to one day play for Australia.
"It would be good if we made the Australian team, but for Kate especially it's a legitimate goal to get in that team over the next couple of years," Cassie said.
Cassie was listed as one of NSW/ACT's best in two out of the three pool matches, despite having to adjust to a defensive role not normally known to her, while Kate played on-the-ball and was noticed by All-Australian selector and South Australia womens' coach Narelle Smith.
The sisters live in Goulburn, and have spent many hours on the Hume Highway driving from home to Canberra and Queanbeyan in developing their games.
They first played for NSW/ACT in 2011 and decided to sign with the Tigerettes as they met a lot of those players in the representative squad and became friends.
"The travel gets very tiring at times...sometimes we have to leave for Queanbeyan straight after school," said Cassie.
Despite the extreme talent of both girls, Cassie is aspiring to midwifery later in life, and plans on going to university next year, while Kate is looking in the direction of veterinary or police studies.
Their attentions now lie upon the remainder of the Tigerettes AFL Canberra women's season.