Adelaide AFLW utility Maddi Newman says going into business with her twin sister, Hallie, is helping her become a better footballer.

The pair own a clothing label called Seeing Double but Maddi, who enjoyed a break-out AFLW season in 2023, wasn’t always part of the venture.

Hallie started her own label when Covid was at its peak in 2020, before Maddi joined last year, to help with marketing.

“I started sewing during Covid and I just went to Op Shops and started re-working some of their pieces and then it eventuated into outerwear,” Hallie told AFC Media.

“Maddi jumped on board last year. She really wanted a balance between footy and wanted something else to focus on, so it’s been really good for her.

“I think it also showed through her footy last year as well, I think it’s made her footy even better because she wasn’t always focused on that and it was great to see.

“It’s great to see Maddi switch into her footy mindset when she needs to get ready for footy training or a game, she’s so talented and makes us all very proud.”

Maddi, who ended last season with a career-best in average disposals (18) and tackles (2.4) across 10 games, said she had seen an improvement in her game since joining the clothing brand.

“It’s been a good, creative outlet for me, I enjoy working every day with Hallie and it’s good for me to have something else to focus on,” Maddi said.

“With our marketing, if we do a drop with new pieces, we’ll do videos and that’s how I come into it, making those sorts of pieces and being Maddi’s right-hand girl.

“I don’t sew any clothes but I just help where I can.”

The pair’s clothing brand isn’t the only venture outside footy keeping Maddi busy, with their joint TikTok, HallieandMaddi, also taking off.

A childhood love of drama was the catalyst for their social media success, and they have built their TikTok following by acting out skits in wigs, disguises and different scenarios.

“We always did drama in high school and we always made our family sit down and watch us act out performers with our older sister,” Hallie said.

“We loved making people laugh and it’s something we’ve been so passionate about and it’s something fun we’ve been able to make a living from.

“It’s crazy we can do this as a job, it’s just eventuated from us enjoying performing.

“The relatable sister skits always do really well.”

Maddi, who is preparing to enter her fifth AFLW campaign with the Crows when the 2024 season gets underway next month, missed out on playing in Adelaide’s Season Six Grand Final win.

She says the disappointment of that is driving her to improve on the field.

“I am so excited for this coming season,” Maddi said.

“We’ve had a really good build up and we’ve all put in so much work with PBs on the track.

“I am still yet to play in a Premiership and that’s a huge driver for me.

“A lot of the girls who played in our last flags aren’t here anymore, so us younger girls need to create our own journey and what we want to achieve here.

Adelaide’s 2024 AFLW season gets underway with a Showdown against Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval under lights on Saturday, August 31.

See the full fixture here.