How a French backpacker became a Warrnambool Mermaids import

Maelys Pineau, 23, will make her debut for the Louise Brown-coached roster against Wyndham at the Arc on Saturday, April 13.

It comes after the shooting guard, who hails from the French seaside town Saint-Jean-de-Monts, found out about the club when she arrived in Allansford to work on a dairy farm.

The 176-centimetre Pineau has played at a high level in Europe and is excited to join the Mermaids as their second import alongside Polish recruit Julia Nielacna.

"I have been playing basketball for 17 years and in France, the season is from September to April, so it's the contrary (to here)," she told The Standard.

"For the first time I wasn't playing because I was travelling, I took a year off and came as a backpacker and I ended up here in Warrnambool because I got the job and it is a six-month contract so I am pretty settled here and I was starting to miss basketball.

"I just looked if there was a club near and I didn't expect anything at first. I reached out to the general manager (Jack Huxtable) and I came to train. It was really unpredictable."

Pineau is grateful for Warrnambool Basketball for "giving her the opportunity" and is eager to make a positive impact in her first game.

The Mermaids started their championship division season with one win and a loss in round one.

"It is pretty cool, I am very excited. The team is so very nice and all the staff and coaches, so it's pretty welcoming," she said.

Pineau, who was cleared to play for Warrnambool earlier this week, played for a variety of high-level clubs in Europe while completing her tertiary studies.

Two years ago she played for French second division club CSP Nantes Basket and three years ago she played in Croatia.

She has always combined basketball with either work or study.

Pineau, who is travelling with her boyfriend, landed in Brisbane in February before driving to Victoria.

"It is all new for us, it's a good experience and it's a beautiful country - very big so we can't visit everything - but it's nice working here," she said.

"We wanted to do the working holiday visa. At the end of the season and when my contract ends, I will go back to France to see my family.

"As I am working on a farm, if we work more than three months, we can have a second-year visa, so maybe I can come back later for another year."

The Mermaids' game will tip-off at 5.30pm with the Seahawks to take on Coburg Giants from 7.30pm.