"I don't think the approach is any different this year," he said. "I went into last year thinking do or die and the way it ended up it was die. We are in the same situation again. Regardless of where you end up on the table, you can't go in thinking you have a second chance. Everyone has to go in to this match with the intention of leaving everything on the paddock."
Having joined the Warriors as a little-known Melbourne squad player, Maloney is forging a reputation with the team. Rival clubs are circling, while there have been calls for him to be named in the Kangaroos' Four Nations squad.
Another impressive showing in a pressure-cooker finals match would see Maloney's stock rise even higher.
The cocky 25-year-old certainly can't be accused of lacking self-confidence.
"I like to think I can go well in the big games," he said. "I've always thought I had the ability to do that. It is definitely a focus of mine, to be able to stand up in the key games and do the job the team is asking of me, if not more. I put a bit of pressure on myself to play well in these games and hopefully I can do it again [tonight]."
A lightly regarded rookie last year, Maloney won't sneak up on anyone this time around. Having consistently produced match-winning performances, he is very much on opposing teams' radar. It's not a situation that fazes him.
"Nothing has really changed in my game, whether I get more attention or not," he said.
"We have got that much strike in our side other sides can't focus too much on individuals."
The Sam Thaiday-less Broncos will certainly have their hands full with the Warriors' rampaging propping rotation. The upswing in the club's fortunes over the second half of the season has coincided with the return of Sam Rapira from a thumb injury. The combination of Rapira, fellow Kiwis international Ben Matulino, Queensland Origin rep Jacob Lillyman and the massive Russell Packer is among the most fearsome in the competition.
"We've had a lot of praises but as a group we know we have got to keep working hard," Rapira said. "I think the rotation has been working for us so we've been sticking to that.
"We help each other by working for each other. If one does a hit-up another follows, so in a way we are helping each other and enjoying it."
If the Warriors are to upset the Broncos on their own turf, Rapira and his fellow props must set the platform.
"It will start there," he said. "It is going to be physical. They have got some big boys who do the same thing, just roll forward. We've just got to aim up and get on top of them. No one is going to be holding back."
Whether the Warriors are quite so chirpy at around 10 tonight remains to be seen.
For now, Maloney's soundings pretty much sum up their attitude.
"Regardless of who we play over the next four weeks, our destiny is really in our own hands," he said.
Broncos v Warriors
Brisbane, 8.30 tonight
Gerard Beale
Dale Copley
Jack Reed
Justin Hodges
Jharal Yow Yeh
Darren Lockyer (c)
Peter Wallace
Josh McGuire
A. McCullough
Ben Hannant
Alex Glenn
Ben Te'o
Corey Parker
Interchange: Matt Gillett, Ben Hunt, Scott Anderson, David Hala.
Kevin Locke
Bill Tupou
Joel Moon
Lewis Brown
Manu Vatuvei
James Maloney
Shaun Johnson
Sam Rapira
Aaron Heremaia
Jacob Lillyman
Feleti Mateo
S. Mannering (c)
Micheal Luck
Interchange: Elijah Taylor, Lance Hohaia, Ben Matulino, Russell Packer, Ukuma Ta'ai.
