Aishling Moloney entered her first AFLW season with no expectation of playing and every intention of learning all she could. 

A star forward for Tipperary’s Gaelic Football team, Moloney landed in Australia a month out from the season starting, ready to learn everything she could about her new code. 
Jump forward three months, and the 25-year-old has played in every Cats game this season, wowing fans and teammates alike with her athletic ability, goal sense and the seeming ease with which she has adapted to kicking a Sherrin. 

Having debuted and played 10 games and counting, Moloney said she was honoured to have had the season she has. 

“To be perfectly honest, I didn’t even think I would debut this season,” Moloney said. 

“To go from having that in my head and really looking forward to next year, in a sense, probably doing the groundwork and getting the skills right this year and geez, I did not think I would have played 10 games in a row. 

“That’s pretty exciting, and it’s pretty cool. I’m aware there are girls around the team who haven’t debuted yet, so it’s something that I’m very honoured and humbled and privileged about. I suppose (I want) to respect (and) to carry the jersey in a way to make everyone proud amongst the team members and the extended club members as well.” 
While it looks like Moloney has taken naturally to the sport, her early proficiency has been the result of tireless training and learning. 

Determined to be a ‘sponge’ when she arrived at GMHBA Stadium alongside Tipperary teammate Anna-Rose Kennedy, the pair spent every day of their first four weeks at the club learning the skills, rules and game play of Australian Football. 

Moloney would carry a notebook with her, writing down copious amounts of notes about rules and the knowledge coaches imparted on her, determined to retain every bit of information that came her way. 

As the Cats’ AFLW program switched to in-season mode, though, Moloney’s approach had to adapt. 

“With the quick turnaround with the games every week, you’re kind of picking and choosing what you are going to work on for every week,” Moloney said. 

“So instead of working on skills, you’re probably looking at a bit more vision and seeing what you can do better the following weekend and for the next game and what you can improve on.” 

Moloney’s willingness to hunt the ball and apply pressure, as well as her big kick and marking prowess, have been on display this season, as she has averaged 10 disposals, three marks and 1.4 tackles a game, and always looked a threat in front of goals. 

The 183cm key forward has kicked 6.11 for the season, and has had 35 score involvements. 

Moloney has played an integral role as the Cats have improved their potency in attack this season, with the team averaging 44.9 points per game – an increase of 6.5 points on last season. Importantly, the scoring was a lot more consistent in 2023, with two big performances inflating the Season 7 figures slightly. 

“I think it probably comes down to training and the work that (coaches) Dan (Lowther) and ‘Brucey’ (Andrew Bruce) and everyone are putting into it,” Moloney said. 

“When I was coming over, I suppose my athletic ability was one thing I was focussing on, especially not knowing the sport or knowing how to play or any skills or anything. 

“So if I can bring some level of dangerousness and athletic ability to the forward line, that will be a plus from me. But look, there’s the girls on the sidelines as well that are pushing us on and pushing for our place, so it definitely makes it a competitive environment, and there’s not any day that you sit there and think that you’re starting for the following week, so that’s definitely helped us as well.” 

Moloney said her transition into AFLW and life in Australia has been eased by the presence of fellow Irish players Anna-Rose Kennedy and Rachel Kearns, while Dan Lowther has led a host of support at the Club for the trio to make Geelong feel like their home away from home. 

“With Anna-Rose, starting out with the two of us being absolutely terrible at the game, it definitely helps (having that support); we didn’t feel like we were just no good whatsoever,” Moloney said. 

“Dan helped us on that front as well. He was very patient with us and it was a very slow learning curve, and there’s a lot of things that I’m not happy with, that I want to learn on and improve and bring back here next year when I come back. 

“There’s going to be a lot of practicing done by me back home in Ireland with the Sherrin, so yeah, it was a small season, a short season for me to pick up everything, but definitely coming back next year. There are a lot of things that I wouldn’t be happy with, and I’d definitely like to fix them coming back here next year. 

“It’s been so mad – like, I’m here five months, and in another two months I’m going home. It feels like I haven’t even landed in Australia yet. I haven’t even got my feet on the ground, as in actually stalled and stopped for a minute to say: ‘This is actually going on’. 

“But it’s pretty cool, it’s just been so exciting, and obviously having Mum and Dad here as well (the past couple of weeks), it’s so nice for them to see. For weeks, they’d asked me to explain Geelong, and I’d say, I can’t until you come here. And now, when they came here, they said, ‘I can see it now; we know why you feel so at home here’.” 

As she heads into another new experience – her first AFLW final – Moloney said she was looking forward to playing in front of an incredible Geelong crowd at GMHBA Stadium. 
“It makes such a difference. Even Mum and Dad were at our Round 9 game, and the atmosphere was different compared to GMHBA Stadium, and even they said their experience on the weekend (at home) was unbelievable,” Moloney said. 

“I think it’s a massive, massive help. For everyone just to rally behind us now and get behind us, it doesn’t go unnoticed. We really appreciate it. 

“It’s coming down that final straight when you know we might need a shove on, or a push on (that it really lifts the team). Please get behind us. 

“We want all the support we can get out there. We want the roar to be the biggest that we’ve ever heard.”