The 53-year-old will move to the Top End in the new year and takes up her new role on January 12 following an organisation restructure.

Haynes, nee Endersby, grew up in Bendigo and was a goaler for Golden City Netball Association and state schoolgirls representative squads during her teens.

She made her first open Victorian team in 1986 and, ironically, travelled to Darwin where her side won the national title that year.

For the past 18 years, she has been Frankston District Netball Association business manager and more recently was administrator for the Peninsula Waves VNL club.

“I wasn’t actively looking for another job, but my name got thrown into the ring,” Haynes said on Wednesday.

“The NT netball president was sitting next to Netball Victoria president Jenny Sanchez at a Test match in Melbourne and talking to her about their situation.

“Jenny said she had someone in mind who might be interested... I put my application in and it all happened very quickly.”

Haynes will help oversee five netball associations stretching from Darwin and Palmerston in the north, to remote Gove and outback Katherine and Alice Springs.

“I’m going in to try and get them on the right track and give them some governance and financial stability so that they are sustainable for the next five to 10 years.

“It’s really quite exciting.”

Haynes still has family in Bendigo and is the mother of GWS Giants AFL defender Nick and Peninsula Waves VNL netballer Kelly.