AFLW 2024: Amy McDonald says Aishling Moloney can ‘break open a game’

Geelong’s Amy McDonald has backed a teammate in to become a threatening key forward, while the star midfielder shared how the Cats are working around a lack of height in ruck contests.

Geelong’s Aishling Moloney celebrates a goal against North Melbourne with Amy McDonald. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Geelong midfielder Amy McDonald believes “it’s a matter of time” before Irish forward Aishling Moloney breaks open a game.

The second-year Cat’s two third-quarter goals against North Melbourne on Sunday was crucial to her side’s second half comeback from 18 points down, the two sides ultimately playing out the draw.

It came after the Gaelic star was a bit off with her touch in round one after returning home between seasons, before some dropped marks marred her opening half against the Roos — something Moloney admittedly was annoyed at herself for — but the 26-year-old turned it around to get her hands on the ball and stick her marks in tough conditions to end the game for two goals and five score involvements.

“She’s pretty incredible... I think the first quarter she had two or three bounce off her chest, they were hers for the taking and then she would have had two shots on goal 20 metres out,” McDonald said of Moloney.

“It was really great to see Lingy in that second half find that touch she’s probably been searching for the previous game and in that first half.

“But without a doubt, we back her in every single week and it will be a matter of time she does break a game open and I reckon she’ll kick a bag anytime soon.”

Moloney finished with 10 goals in her first season in hoops in 2023, with a game-high three goals.

No wins, no worries

Geelong’s Amy McDonald fights to dispose of the ball under pressure on Sunday. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

The Cats may sit 15th with two points to their names but McDonald, who has arguably been the Cats’ best to start the year with an average 27 disposals, 11 clearances and seven tackles, says their opening fortnight was “10 times more positive than that”.

Coming within two points of last year’s semi-finalist Melbourne before drawing with grand finalists and flag favourites in the Roos has McDonald confident the Cats are well set up to attack the rest of the season, starting with Carlton at Ikon Park on Saturday afternoon.

“We’ve played Melbourne and then North and North are probably arguably the premiership favourites after what they did in round one,” she said.

“Considering we went down by two points and then drew, I think we controlled both games for the majority of the game and just struggled to put those final pieces of the puzzle together and hit the scoreboard.

“But I think starting the season against two really strong opposition will help set us up really well for the rest of the season.

No backing down in midfield

McDonald says Kate Darby and Gabbi Featherston are “fighting the fight” in the ruck with a notable height difference.

After Erin Hoare retired ahead of the new season, and replacement player Lilly Pearce remaining a work in progress, the Cats have turned to 181cm Darby, as well as 170cm Featherston for a chop out, in the opening two rounds against opponents 184cm or taller.

Geelong’s Kate Darby (right) competes in the ruck with Kangaroos’ Kim Rennie. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“They’re both giving up a fair bit of height but not backing down from the challenge,” McDonald said.

But despite losing the ruck head-to-head by +20 in both games, the Cats’ midfield, led by McDonald herself, have stepped up to bridge the difference and in some cases come out on top in either clearances or centre clearances.

McDonald said the ruck situation did force the Cats to play a different way but backed her fellow midfielders to protect areas of space and win the ball a different way.

“We have been down in hit-outs and that’s okay, it just means we have to change up how we’re playing a little bit and personally, looking to shark the opposition’s ruck sort of becomes your next focus,” she said.

Originally published as AFLW 2024: Amy McDonald says Aishling Moloney can ‘break open a game’