BORN in Samoa. Raised in New Zealand.

But Vaomua Laloifi will be hoping her AFLW career is made in Carlton.

It’s been quite the unprecedented journey for the 26-year-old, who simply goes by ‘Mua’.

Pending a debut, she’ll be the first person to pull on the Navy Blue born in Samoa, and just the second in the history of the game (behind North Melbourne’s Aaron Edwards).

By the time Friday 7 February rolls around and AFLW 4.0 commences, Laloifi is hoping her dad will have a greater understanding of the game.

 

“It’s unreal. It’s surreal. I’m still soaking it all in,” Laloifi said.

“It’s quite foreign to my family still. Dad doesn’t actually know what it is: all he knows is that you get tackled from all sorts of angles.

“Mum tries to explain it to him but it’s all quite new to everyone.”

While they’ve got the important details down pat - “They’ve got no chance to support Carlton now!” - having children involved in sport isn’t a new concept for the Laloifi family.

Vaomua doesn’t have to look far for inspiration and support, with her brother Junior previously playing for the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby competition.

In fact, it was that link which drew the Laloifi family to Australia.

 

“I was born in Samoa and raised with a rugby background: Mum and Dad are huge fans. My brother started playing it and growing up,” she said.

“We just watched rugby. We moved to New Zealand and were raised there, before my brother got a contract for the Australian rugby sevens.

“We made the trip here and him, Mum and Dad moved up to Brisbane. That all happened really quickly.”
Laloifi’s transition to Australian rules football wasn’t immediate, instead picking up basketball until she stopped playing in 2018.

It coincided when she earned a spot on Collingwood’s VFLW list. However, it wasn’t going to be that easy.

An ACL injury in her fifth game of football delayed her debut year. Laloifi was made to do it the hard way, ultimately returning - this time via the Western Bulldogs - to be a key pillar down back in a surge to a Grand Final.

“It’s been a hell of a ride,” she said.

 

“[The injury] seems like a world away: I don’t even think about it now.

“Last year was a different story and this year is a reward and a credit to the hard work you put in.”

That VFLW Grand Final with the Bulldogs just happened to be at Ikon Park — the place she will now call home from 2020.

Laloifi - who regards herself as someone who “doesn’t really engage in the banter” - said all eyes were on the beginning of pre-season.

“Actually coming back to Ikon Park in different colours, let alone at Carlton… I’m so excited,” she said.

“It’s all going to be so new.”

It’s been a long road to this point, but Vaomua Laloifi’s journey is just getting started.