All the likes and dislikes from Geelong’s AFLW squad after six rounds

After a historic prelim final in 2023, Geelong’s 2024 campaign hasn’t exactly gone to plan, with the Cats’ scoring inefficiency and defence two areas which have led to several frustrating losses.

Geelong forward Aishling Moloney has made significant strides in her second year in the sport. Picture: Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Geelong kept its season alive with a narrow three-point win on Sunday but every game from now remains must-win if they’re even a chance to return to finals.

The Cats’ season so far has trademarks of an ‘almost’ year, drawing against ladder-leaders North Melbourne, losing to top eight Hawthorn and Fremantle but also suffering defeat at the hands of bottom-six sides Melbourne and Carlton.

Their only wins have come against cellar-dwellers Gold Coast, and 12th place Sydney.

And it doesn’t get any easier, with a tough run home consisting of top eight sides Richmond, Brisbane, West Coast and Adelaide.

Here’s all the likes and dislikes from the Cattery after six rounds.

LIKES

1 Moloney’s magic

The Irish star has taken her game to new heights in her second season in the sport.

There was strong glimpses in her rookie, named the AFLPA’s best first year player but in season two down under, the 26-year-old has become a bona fide star of the competition.

She took a few games to get going after an off-season back playing Gaelic — her touch a bit off in the season-opener against the Dees — but from the second half of round 2, she’s gone from strength to strength to sit second in competition for goals with 12.

Moloney, along with Jackie Parry, are the two key focal points in a Cats forward line missing injury key forward Chloe Scheer, with the athletic Moloney boasting a unique combination of height (at 183cm) and speed, with her work below the knees just as good as in the air.

Her endurance and workrate sees her push up the ground too, and while she’s missed a couple chances – 1.4 against Fremantle — overall she’s generating greater accuracy around goal (12.9 in 2024, to 10.15 in 2023), with her right-foot right pocket snap against Hawthorn in the running for goal of the year.

2 Next-gen leaders lead the way

Vice captains Nina Morrison and Becky Webster have proved two of the Cats’ most damaging, yet consistent performers in 2024.

Morrison continues to put in a power of work in the midfield, which at separate times through injury has missed her usual partners in crime, Georgie Prespakis and Amy McDonald. Her ability to win the ball out of the contest, as well as her pressure (avg. 7.3 tackles from 5.2 in 2023, and third in the league for pressure acts) has stood out while she been much more efficient with her chances at goal (80% to 40 in 2023).

Geelong defender Becky Webster has spearheaded the Cats’ drive off halfback this year. Picture: Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Meanwhile, Webster, who joined Morrison as a vice-captain this year, has proven indispensable for her ability to launch the Cats forward from halfback this year.

She has career high numbers in disposals (20.9), intercepts (six) and rebound 50s (2.7), while her average of 340.5 metres gained this year is well up on a career average of 249.4.

And while her ability to play midfield means she is floated as a possible inclusion there, particularly when Prespakis and McDonald were hurt, it’s almost like robbing Peter to pay Paul for what you lose behind the ball.

“Her role in defence is her primary role and that’s an area we’re looking very exposed in at the moment,” Dan Lowther said after their loss to the Dockers last week.

“To have the luxury of that to pull her out and play midfield is nice but for us it’s a bit, lets keep her in defence because that’s where she’s playing her best footy for us.

“The balance between defence and midfield is what we’re trying to get right.

“Her drive off halfback is what we really cherish at the moment.”

3 Younger players show promising signs

Darcy Moloney has shown strong glimpses of improvement in 2024. Picture: Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Though not as consistent as say Morrison and Webster, there has been certain games this year the Cats’ emerging talent have shown their wares.

For Darcy Moloney, who has spent more time at centre bounces with McDonald sidelined, her best performance came against Gold Coast, where the 21-year-old set a new career-high 22 disposals, while overall her disposal and clearance numbers are up from 2023.

“Every year she’s shown signs of doing something different, of adding more attributes to her game, she’s been working really hard on her contested method so that she’s stronger around the contest,” Lowther said of Moloney.

“But her ability to get out and win the footy and then use the football is really efficient, that’s the part too that we’re really excited about, her growth going forward, the fitter she gets the more efficient she gets, the repeat effort to get the ball in space, she’s really damaging with the footy. If she can add that contest work which she’s working really hard on doing... she’s going to be a really potent midfielder for us.”

Zali Friswell is another to have some mature performances, the likes of Irish talent and eight-gamer Anna-Rose Kennedy, who debuted in last year’s preliminary final, has become a mainstay in defence, while the Cats have given cames to first-year Cats Bryde O’Rourke, Caitlin Thorne and Bella Smith in recent weeks.

“She’s (Zali) had a great influence in games out on the outside, driving us in our front half,” Lowther said.

“More games is what they need.”

DISLIKES

1 Scoring inconsistencies

The ability to capitalise on their periods of dominance and entries inside 50 has been the biggest barrier to winning games for the Cats.

Lowther said earlier this season, the biggest difference from 2023 to 2024 was their “ability to take their chances.”

In both wins this year, the Cats boast inside 50 efficiency performances of +50 but were less than 46 per cent in their losses and draw.

Against Carlton it was a measly 22.7 per cent as they managed just five minor scores — their lowest ever score — while in the draw against North Melbourne, they had more inside 50 chances but a 36.1 per cent rating on efficiency to the Roos’ 56.

Four games they’ve kicked more points than goals, with their past two performances against the Dockers and Swans their worst offending for a combined 8.23.

These missed opportunities to capitalise on forward half dominance hurt all the more in three games – all at Kardinia Park — where they gave up first quarter leads in the second half.

Geelong coach Dan Lowther acknowledged periods of games were the Cats conceded too many quick goals. Picture: Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

2 Midfield-defence connection and ruck woes

Despite their scoring problems, the Cats can still boast the fourth-highest attack in the league.

But in contrast they’re conceded the fifth most points to their opposition.

Scoring was a focus last year and while they’ve looked dangerous at times on this front in 2024 when their running game is up and going, the fact is they’ve allowed teams to score too quickly on them — whether it be through lack of pressure or execution — with Lowther noting one example in their loss against Hawthorn.

“Giving up four goals in that third quarter in quick response off the back of us scoring and thinking we might get a bit of a run on, to give up a score pretty quickly was the disappointing part,” Lowther said.

Geelong’s Gabbi Featherston (right) goes up against Gold Coast’s Lauren Bella in the ruck. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Cats’ lack of an primary ruck has been well documented, and while the Cats have still managed to stay afloat in the clearance game — Amy McDonald revealing earlier this season they would just adapt the way they played, like sharking the ball, a dominant ruck would no doubt go a long way in easing the load for the midfield.

Kate Darby ranked 25th in the competition for average hit outs (12.7), though has had a strong year in terms of her presence and work around the ground, Gabbi Featherston has battle hard undersized (Eq. 38 in comp for hit-outs) while Mel Bragg (40) has come in recent weeks to help in the ruck too.

3 Missing McDonald

It’s by no fault of the Cats but losing Amy McDonald to a hamstring injury was the blow they didn’t need as they were fighting to break a losing streak.

From her five appearances in 2024, McDonald ranks first in the competition for centre clearances andtop three for clearances in general.

When the hit-outs weren't going the Cats way, you could still count on McDonald to find the ball, and while the Cats have been able to bring in the likes of Thorne and Smith for some contested back-up, there is arguably no replacing what McDonald can do as a star of the competition.

Originally published as All the likes and dislikes from Geelong’s AFLW squad after six rounds