The Blues premiership player, who was entering her fourth season as captain before the Warrnambool and District league abandoned it due to the coronavirus pandemic, said the role had made a positive impact on her.

"If anything I have improved, I'm harder, faster and fitter," the 23-year-old midcourter said.

"I want to be leading by example. You want to be accountable for your position and if not there will be a position on the bench where I can be there to sit but I want to play hard and earn my spot."

Listen to this week's edition of The Standard's football podcast - The Main Break

READ MORE:

Haberfield, who accepted the captaincy at 19 when asked by premiership mentor Steph Townsend, said remaining focused was a key component of how she approached leading.

"Being switched on and being able to handle any situation is important," she said.

"If Steph is having an off day and decides to throw something at me, I need to be ready to say something and know what to tell the girls."

The Mepunga resident said she felt comfortable in the role from the beginning.

"I was already so close with all the girls and we are all good friends so it didn't feel like a massive change," she said.

"I was happy to be one person they could come to with issues or for Steph to turn around during an address at a break or at training to ask for for my input. It has been good to be able to do that."

But Haberfield, who has also led sides in her junior days at Nirranda, also hasn't been afraid to ask a question or two.

"It felt natural to me and I didn't ask Steph a lot of questions about what do I do or what I need to do to be a good captain for her or how to help out as well," she said.

"But asking questions made me feel a lot better and then I knew what Steph expected of me.

"I ask questions all of the time. I'm someone who likes everything to be exact or it has to be perfect but also no one is perfect.

"So if I want to get or know something I will always ask but I feel have most things down pat now.

"I feel it's a good thing to ask questions because if you haven't got any then I feel you're not doing the job properly."

The Anushka Brows and Beauty manager said leadership had also become a big part of her life away from the netball court.

"It's another big thing in my life being in charge of the girls in the shop," she said.

"In a way it (netball captaincy and managing a shop) is similar as people will come to me if they need to say something or ask for anything so they do complement each other."

Haberfield credited Townsend and former coach Anna Archie as her biggest influences in the early parts of her career.

The centre said she was eager to hit the court when play returned in 2021.

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.