Brisbane midfielder Maria Moloney has committed to sign with Port Adelaide, ahead of the club’s entrance into the NAB AFLW competition this year.

Since her AFLW debut in 2020, Moloney has played for the Brisbane Lions and has developed a reputation as a contested ball winner.

The 27-year-old is known as a genuine team player who thrives on using her strength to win a contested ball.

“I’m just really excited for the opportunity,” Moloney said.

“It will be a great challenge to move to an expansion team and be part of the inaugural squad at Port Adelaide. The opportunities are endless, you get to be there right from the start and contribute to the environment from the get-go.”

Hailing from the tiny town of Garvoc in regional Victoria, Moloney moved to Queensland to pursue a career with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a young adult.

Her on-field skills were quickly noticed while playing footy for the University of Queensland Red Lions, and she was subsequently picked up in the 2019 AFLW draft.

For two seasons, Moloney played in the AFLW alongside Port Adelaide head coach Lauren Arnell, including the Lions’ premiership-winning year in 2021.

“I know Loz quite well and you wouldn’t come across a better person,” Moloney said.

“I think she will do an amazing job as head coach, as she knows what to look for and what makes a great team, having come from an AFLW environment.”

Arnell is eager to welcome former teammate Moloney to Alberton, praising her work ethic and self-belief.

“Maria will be a fantastic addition to our squad,” Arnell said.

“We really wanted Maria here from the very beginning to help establish the culture of the women’s program. She always holds herself with integrity and has that ‘never give in’ attitude. I’m excited to see her back herself in and take this opportunity, because she has the self-confidence and self-belief to make this move a success.

“She is super competitive, hardworking and has enormous running capacity. Her selfless, team-first approach is exactly why we want her here at Port Adelaide. She’s done the hard work and has really earned it.”

Moloney acknowledged the RAAF for their flexibility and for allowing her to transfer her employment to the Adelaide base.

“When I joined the RAAF, I was a Loadmaster, where you work to restrain cargo in an aircraft to ensure it remains balanced,” Moloney recalled.

“With so much travel in that role, I just couldn’t continue it once I started to play football. They helped me transition into a role to work regular business hours to allow me to do both. They are extremely supportive.”