IT ALREADY loomed as a big year for Rory Sloane but it just got a lot bigger as he and his wife Belinda announced they are expecting their first child.

Both took to Instagram to make the announcement with the Crow captioning the picture with 'Belinda and grom on board'.

'Grom' is a slang word used to describe a young surfer.

The star midfielder comes out of contract at the end of this year and, as AFL.com.au reported last week, there has been industry chatter that Belinda wants to return home to Melbourne to be closer to family and further her career as a television presenter.

Rory Sloane, 28, is also from Melbourne.

The restricted free agent will likely be the most sought-after onballer at the end of the season.