HITIQ Lands AFLW Star Marinoff to Drive Mouthguard Tech Into Grassroots Market

AFLW’s all-time leader in disposals and tackles joins HITIQ as PROTEQT™ brand ambassador

HITIQ has appointed 2024 AFLW Best and Fairest winner Ebony Marinoff as an official PROTEQT™ Brand Ambassador. Marinoff, who reached the 100-game milestone in 2025 as one of the first two players in AFLW history to do so, already wears the instrumented mouthguard at elite level. The appointment supports HITIQ’s strategy to expand awareness and adoption of its head impact monitoring technology across both elite and community contact sports.

Marinoff’s credentials extend beyond longevity. She is the AFLW career record holder for both disposals and tackles, and was Adelaide Football Club’s first-ever AFLW draftee in 2016. The arrangement reflects authentic product endorsement rather than a purely promotional engagement, positioning HITIQ’s technology as a player welfare tool already trusted by one of the competition’s most recognised athletes.

What is an instrumented mouthguard and why does it matter?

PROTEQT™ is a mouthguard fitted with precision sensors that capture head impact exposure data during play. The platform is designed to support player welfare protocols by providing real-time and post-match data for coaches, medical staff, and players. This information can inform decisions around player management, substitution, and medical assessment.

The technology targets Australian rules football and rugby across both elite and community levels. Growing regulatory and cultural focus on concussion management in contact sports has created demand for evidence-based monitoring tools, particularly as awareness of long-term brain health risks increases.

For investors, instrumented mouthguards address an emerging player welfare need with regulatory tailwinds. Marinoff’s appointment as a genuine product user supports HITIQ’s commercialisation push into grassroots markets, where volume opportunity sits beyond professional leagues.

Marinoff’s elite credentials

Marinoff’s individual honours position her as one of the most decorated players in AFLW history. In the 2024 season, she averaged 30.5 disposals and 12.4 tackles per match, demonstrating consistency and durability at the highest level. She has served as Adelaide co-captain since 2024.

Her accolades include:

• 2024 AFLW Best and Fairest
• 2024 AFLPA AFLW Most Valuable Player
• 2024 AFL Coaches Association AFLW Champion Player of the Year
• 2024 AFLPA AFLW Best Captain
• Four-time Adelaide Club Champion (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Seven-time All-Australian
• Three-time AFLW Premiership player (2017, 2019, 2022)

This track record signals both elite performance and leadership capability, reinforcing the credibility HITIQ gains from the partnership.

Director quote on strategic alignment

Management has framed the appointment as aligning with HITIQ’s brand values and expansion objectives.

Earl Eddings, Executive Chair and CEO

“Ebony is one of the most respected players in AFLW history, and her leadership and professionalism align strongly with HITIQ’s values. Her genuine use of PROTEQT™ and commitment to growing the game make her an ideal ambassador as we continue expanding adoption across both elite and community sport.”

The emphasis on “genuine use” differentiates this arrangement from paid-only endorsements, potentially enhancing market credibility as HITIQ targets broader adoption.

Grassroots expansion and the commercial opportunity

Marinoff has publicly highlighted the value of making elite-level technology accessible to community players, supporting HITIQ’s dual-market strategy.

Ebony Marinoff

“I wear PROTEQT™ at the elite level, so it’s great to see the technology becoming available to players at all levels of the game. Giving grassroots athletes access to the same tools used in the professional environment is a really positive step for the sport.”

Elite validation creates a credibility bridge to community sport, where unit economics and recurring revenue potential scale beyond professional leagues. PROTEQT™ is designed for both segments, with grassroots adoption representing the larger addressable market. Community sport participation in Australian rules football and rugby far exceeds professional player numbers, positioning instrumented mouthguards as a volume-driven opportunity if adoption rates increase.

The appointment signals HITIQ’s readiness to activate marketing initiatives that target awareness beyond elite competitions. Ambassador partnerships typically precede commercial rollout phases, suggesting the company is positioning for broader market penetration.

What this means for HITIQ’s market positioning

The Marinoff appointment supports HITIQ’s dual-market commercialisation strategy by leveraging elite credibility to drive community adoption. Brand ambassador announcements are often leading indicators of marketing activation and commercial readiness, particularly when the appointee is an active product user rather than a paid spokesperson.

Marinoff’s profile and genuine use of PROTEQT™ position HITIQ favourably as player welfare awareness grows across Australian contact sports. Regulatory and cultural shifts toward concussion management create tailwinds for instrumented mouthguard adoption, though near-term revenue impact remains dependent on grassroots uptake rates and distribution channel development.

For investors, the appointment reflects progress in HITIQ’s go-to-market strategy, with authentic endorsement from an elite athlete potentially accelerating awareness and credibility in target segments.

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