AFLW Finals 2023: Irish sensation Aishling Moloney on her rapid rise in her first season at Geelong

Aishling Moloney hasn’t just been recognised on the street, her parents have too. The Irish sensation sheds light on that and her rapid rise in her first season at the Cats.

Zali Friswell is the round 10 Rising Star nominee. Picture: Getty Images

Irish recruit Aishling Moloney has been such a revelation that even her parents were even recognised on the street.

After her mother and father touched down in the country a week ago, a Geelong supporting couple noticed their Irish accents and asked, “you’re not one of the Irish parents?”

When they explained they were indeed Aishling’s parents, the couple responded, “Lingy!”, before being corrected.

Moloney had to remind them later that they were talking about her rather than somebody else, given she has affectionately been compared to Cameron Ling because of their similar hair colour.

“They said they were Aishling’s parents and they were like, ‘Lingy’ and mum and dad were like ‘no Aishling not Lingy, because they’d forgotten obviously,” Moloney laughed.

Her proud parents were spotted in the crowd jumping around and waving the Irish flag when Moloney slotted a goal against Hawthorn – much to Moloney’s embarrassment.

But her mum claims her dance moves were purely to win a Cats guernsey through a competition.

The Moloney Family loved @MoloneyAishling's goal 🇮🇪 #SheIsFootballpic.twitter.com/ACxmZGtMbV

— Geelong Cats Womens (@catswomens) November 4, 2023

They’ll be in attendance again for Moloney’s first ever AFLW final, where she will be hoping to extend what has been a whirlwind season.

“I’ve seen mum busting a few moves (in the crowd), thank god she told me that she was trying to win a guernsey at the game. I was like ‘thank god there is a reason she was dancing like that’.

“Mum and dad are great, they’ve been by my side since I was a five year old, they always supported me in everything that I did and it’s pretty cool to have them there with me.

“They get another game to go and see now and at GMHBA it’s even better.”

Aishling Moloney is gearing up for her first final. Picture: Brad Fleet

RAPID RISE

The athletic forward from county Tipperary turned heads in the pre-season while still leaning to kick a Sherrin.

And it didn’t take her long to justify the hype that saw several clubs clamouring for her services.

Moloney kicked 1.2 in a promising round one debut and then slotted three of Geelong’s four goals against top-two side Melbourne in a heavy loss a month later.

The Tipperary product could have had four goals instead of four behind in an eye-catching display against Fremantle, and the pat fortnight she has averaged an impressive 13.5 disposals and a goal.

Moloney has shattered her expectations she had for herself since she came out to Australia with fellow Gaelic footballer turned Cat Anna-Rose Kennedy in July, and since she was handed her debut guernsey ahead of round one.

Thinking about her rapid rise – and the fact that she will be returning to the Cats after Christmas – gives her goosebumps.

Aishling Moloney has exceeded all expectations in her first season. Picture: Getty Images

“To start as early as I did was something I hadn’t anticipated coming out here,” Moloney.

“I’m getting goosebumps here talking about this, it’s pretty mad. In this room was where I was standing where I got my debut game announced and it’s pretty cool, the emotions.

“You’re so far away from home and you’ve came to the other side of the world and it is just something that’s so rewarding when you do get that.”

“Every week I’m like ‘it’s mad’. I’m going home for Christmas but it’s like, I can’t believe I was here and now I’m gone, and then I’m back here to start again to bring new goals and new challenges for me.”

THE IRISH CONNECTION

Moloney’s connection with close friend Kennedy and fellow Irish player Rachel Kearns and the support of coach Dan Lowther has helped her acclimatise.

She said the Irish girls never far apart on the training track, and their relationship has been the source of envy for the playing group.

“The girls are just jealous, they want to be Irish. Some day we will let them into our little clique,” Moloney joked.

“Dan has been so good to me since I got there, there’s never been pressures and it’s kind of ‘take your time and learn at your own pace’.”

Anna-Rose Kennedy and Aishling Moloney during the pre-season.

The 25-year-old is learning new things every day and every game as she continues to grow as an Aussie rules footballer and she is living by one slogan: expect the unexpected.

Think that slogan should be on the wall: ‘Expect the unexpected’, because the ball can just bounce anywhere,” she said.

“I think the element from me now is every game brings a different aspect. One day you go out and it’s a running game, another game you go out it’s a contest game.

“You can never say that two games are the same, and if you were to compare last week’s game to Richmond it was a completely different game.”

How Cats Rising Star has handled intense schedule

Zali Friswell isn’t just growing on the field.

The 19-year-old winger has been juggling a double degree of sport science and nutrition at Deakin University and her work at Kick Academy – a community based coaching program for kids – having previously been at AFL Barwon promoting girls Auskick participation.

While it has been a difficult balance at times, Friswell has managed to be an integral yet underrated part of the Cats line-up.

An improved second half of the season culminated in a rising star nomination for the Cats young gun, recognised after winning a season-high 17 disposals, four marks and three tackles against Hawthorn.

Since being taken by the Cats in the 2021 AFLW Draft, Friswell has played 28 of a possible 31 games in Cats colours, which she puts down to the support of the club and a bit of luck.

Zali Friswell (left) has had a strong finish to the season. Picture: Getty Images

“I’m pretty lucky that I kind of slotted into the team like I have, of course other teams I might not have but I really enjoy the team that I’m in and they’ve been supportive and I’m pretty lucky that I’ve had the opportunities to play 25 games and I’m only 19, it’s pretty amazing,” Friswell.

“Geelong is so supportive and helped develop me as a player so credit to them, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today without the off-field stuff I do with them so credit to them for helping me out but I can’t believe I’ve played over 25 games as a 19 year old.

“It’s pretty hard to do in the AFLW as the short season but I’m happy in the group I am at Geelong and keep growing with the girls.

“I thought the second half I played a lot better but I’m just loving playing with the girls at the moment and having fun and enjoying it.”

“Both footy, uni and work can be a bit hard at times but credit to Deakin and Geelong Cats working together to help me get around it and make sure I’m still studying and still performing on and off the field.”

Cats coach Dan Lowther said Friswell has settled in nicely and was pleased to see her receive the recognition she deserves.

“Zali has been a fantastic addition to our playing group the past three seasons and is really coming into her own on the wing,” Lowther said.

“She brings a lot of energy to every training session and game day, and her pace, clean skills and composure under pressure are a real benefit for our team.”

Expect Friswell to be wearing the hoops for a while, but she also has ambitions to pursue a career in data analytics or continue studying and become a dietitian.

“I like both parts of the degree but right now I’m not fully sure what I want to do but I really like the nutrition side, probably end up doing my dietetics after this degree to be a dietitian or I really like the exercise sport science side so might do data analytics,” Friswell said.

“Two different jobs but I’m probably interested in both of those for post-footy or even when I finish this degree.”

Originally published as AFLW Finals 2023: Irish sensation Aishling Moloney on her rapid rise in her first season at Geelong