North Melbourne tall Claire Mahony has signed a contract extension, committing to the club until at least the end of the 2027 AFLW season.

The 19-year-old was selected with North Melbourne’s first pick in the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft at No. 36 overall. The Beaufort product, from Victoria’s Goldfields region, built a strong reputation with the GWV Rebels for her marking ability and forward craft.

Although she did not break into the senior side during her first AFLW season in 2025, Mahony continued to develop at both ends of the ground, learning each week from experienced teammates including Libby Birch and Tahlia Randall.

"Claire has been a valuable addition to our program since arriving in late 2024, and continues to buy in and help grow our culture," general manager of women’s football Erin Lorenzini said.

"She has built strong relationships with her teammates and shown a clear eagerness to learn.

"Claire has already shown tremendous growth this off-season, and we’re confident she’ll be a very strong player for the club."