Aishling Moloney rejoins Geelong ahead of 2025 AFLW season as Cats hone midfield craft
The AFLW’s reigning goalkicker has her feet firmly back on Australian soil fresh off a Gaelic quarter final, as the Cats hit the track in ahead of their first match simulation this weekend.
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All-Australian forward Aishling Moloney was back kicking goals for Geelong after touching back down in Australia last week, as the Cats’ midfield craft was put front and centre of a pre-season training session on Thursday morning.
The Irish sensation hit the track with teammates at Geelong Cricket Ground in chilly conditions, as the Cats prepared for their upcoming match simulation against St Kilda on Saturday.
The 27-year-old arrived back in Australia fresh off a Gaelic football season with Tipperary where the club reached the All-Ireland championship quarterfinals earlier this month – Moloney scoring her team’s only goal and contributing points in their eventual 1-6 to 2-17 defeat to Meath.
Defender Becky Webster said it was great to have the competition’s reigning leading goalkicker back around at the Cattery leading into to next month’s season-opener against North Melbourne.
“It’s funny, she rolled in last week and it’s like, ‘oh, you’ve been here for the last 12 months, but she’s just come through the doors again’,” Webster said.
“Lingy’s a real special player for us and across the competition as well – you saw it last year and what she can bring.
“I’m super excited to have her back out on the field and really challenge us defenders as well in these next couple of weeks leading into round one and bringing that connection with the forwards again.”
Moloney’s return is boost for the Cats’ forward line, with star forward Chloe Scheer – who missed all last season with a toe injury – a continued omission on the track alongside rookie ruck prospect Caitie Tipping, with afl.com.au reporting this week both would face delayed starts to their season.
Sienna Tallariti and Rachel Kearns – both overcoming pre-season ankle surgeries – were others who didn’t venture outdoors, while forward Kate Surman and midfielder Bella Smith were present but didn’t train.
Moloney moved well in kicking and marking drills with the forwards group, where small forward Mikayla Bowen drew several high-fives for one height-defying grab, though most of the session’s action came from the midfield group under the instruction of new line coach and AFL premiership player Nathan Brown.
Reigning Cats’ best and fairest Nina Morrison said last week the Cats’ contest work needed to improve, with the likes of Morrison, Georgie Prespakis, and Amy McDonald in the guts of Thursday’s drills, alongside second-year Cat Caitlin Thorne, experienced mid Julia Crockett-Grills and train-on player Mekah Morrissy.
Second-year Irish talent Kate Kenny also joined with the midfield group, lining up as an outside passing option alongside Bryde O’Rourke, with head coach Dan Lowther working with the emerging footballer to provide direction around positioning.
Draftee Piper Dunlop appears best positioned to step into the number 1 ruck role, shouldering the rucking duties during drills, as Kate Darby joined the forwards group and key position recruit Erica Fowler did solo running along the boundary, though got around her teammates late in the session to facilitate a few throw-up drills.
Gabbi Featherston, who took on an undersized support role in ruck last year, did one-on-one drills with staff before running, with the Cats’ drafting strategy to inject more talls into the group expected to free up the 21-year-old to play more across the wing or up forward.
Cats go back to basics to rebound from frustrating fall
Geelong defender Becky Webster believes a stripped back focus centred around “what we’re really good at” can help the Cats respond to last season’s frustrating finals omission.
The Cats ramp up preparations for next month’s tough season-opener against reigning premier North Melbourne, with their first pre-season hit-out against St Kilda on Saturday.
Despite going from preliminary finalists in 2023 to 10th last season amid an inconsistent campaign, Webster said the focus pre-season was on playing good footy, rather than any expectation around a post-season return.
“I feel like the expectation wasn’t there last year as much as we did make that prelim final, but, you know, this year it does sort of feel like, let’s go back to what we’re really good at, round the ball, contest hard, let’s strip it back,” she said.
“We’ve got some new personnel that are going to do a really good job for us this year, and honing in on those really good things that we did that prelim final year as well.
“There’s no pressure in terms of that sort of thing (making finals), I think we’re very much a system-based team and the outcome will work itself out when we’re playing good football and a good brand of footy that we want.
“If we don’t get the four points and we’re playing really good football, we’ll wear that.”
Webster said Saturday’s match simulation against the Saints was an “exciting” opportunity to test their pre-season work and structures, as well as blood several new faces against opposition.
“We’ve got some new girls in the team now, so getting them across a few things … it’s super exciting to sort of bring that together across an opposition,” she said.
“It’s a bit of fun, bit of practice your craft and don’t take it too seriously, but it’s also good practice for round one.”
The Cats will look to roll out a new-look defence, both Chantel Emonson and Anna-Rose Kennedy currently the Cats’ inactive list.
Webster said she’d miss partner-in-crime Emonson and her rebound off half-back, but was confident there was both the experience and new blood down back to cover the role.
One newcomer likely to push for an early-season debut is the Cats’ top draft pick, Lexi Gregor, the teen and key position player having not missed a session training primarily in defence.
“To have another key tall back there is awesome,” Webster said of Gregor.
“And she’s so young and raw that you can just sort of see her want to play footy and have a bit of fun with it and it’s always super exciting with those young ones coming through to bring that spark and energy and fun to the game.
“She’s been training the house down, so I’d expect that she’d probably pull on the hoops at some point this season.”
Originally published as Aishling Moloney rejoins Geelong ahead of 2025 AFLW season as Cats hone midfield craft
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