Sydney midfielder Darcy Moloney reveals the main reason behind her trade from Geelong
Darcy Moloney had lost her confidence as a footballer. But a fresh start in the Harbour City has started to rekindle the fire, as the midfielder prepares to face her former club for the first time.
Sydney midfielder Darcy Moloney has opened up on her decision to seek a trade away from Geelong, saying she needed to “figure out” who she was as both a footballer and person.
The 22-year-old revealed her mental health took a hit as she lost confidence in her game, hoping a fresh start under new coaches would help address a “plateau”.
A former Geelong Falcons captain, Moloney was a top 10 draft pick in the 2020 AFLW draft and played 46 games in hoops across five seasons before requesting the trade to Sydney in December.
In return the Cats secured pick 22, which they later bundled with picks 27 and 45 to move up the draft board in a six-club player and pick swap.
Getting a second first round pick at 16, as well as 37, in return, the Cats would select defender Sienna Tallariti and ruck Piper Dunlop.
Moloney will face her former side for the first time on Saturday, when the undefeated Swans travel to GMHBA Stadium to take on the winless Cats.
While the Colac native is excited to play in front of friends and family again this weekend, she said her move away to Sydney came in response to a few tough years.
“I didn’t really know who I was as a footballer, and who I was as a person. That was one of the main reasons I wanted to leave – to figure out who I was,” Moloney said.
“Coming to Sydney, I really wanted to get my mind set right and my mental health (in a) good (place) because I felt I’d lost a lot of confidence over the years.
“I’ve done a lot work with the coaches, the psych at Sydney as well to improve in that space – that’s been my main focus.
“I’ve always felt like if I can get that right, my footy comes along with it.”
While former Falcons and Cats teammate Laura Gardiner took off to Sydney in 2023 eyeing a full-time midfield role and greater opportunity, Moloney hadn’t felt the same amid a tough-to-crack on-ball brigade at Geelong – rather that she needed to address a dip in her game.
“I felt like I had plateaued a little bit and I thought I had to go somewhere new, with new staff and coaching to see what they could get out of me,” she said.
“And just in terms of where I was in my life, I think I needed something new and fresh – moving states has definitely done that,” she added with a laugh.
“I think the Cats understood where I stood, and they helped out as much as they could to get the trade going.”
Moloney reached out to Gardiner, alongside Swans’ co-captain Lucy McEvoy, her former captain at the Falcons, when mulling her decision.
“I was close with Laura at Geelong and we continued to stay in contact after she left,” Moloney said.
“When I was making the decision of where I wanted to go or if I wanted to stay, I talked to her a lot and she only had really good things to say about Sydney … I hold her opinion quite highly.
“It made my decision a lot easier also knowing she’d be there and I could go to her with anything.”
Also making the move easier was Moloney’s former Geelong Falcons teammate Ash Van Loon, also bound for Sydney on a trade from Essendon.
Both now live together, along with Moloney’s younger sister Tara, who also made the move up to attend Brent Street Performing Arts’ school.
While a foot injury hampered her final season with Geelong, Moloney has started her tenure in Sydney brightly, playing predominantly in the midfield with stints forward – she kicked her first goal in red and white in round 1 against Richmond before amassing an equal career-best 22 touches against Gold Coast in round 2.
“Each week I’m building and improving little bits … (coach) Scott (Gowan) has been really instrumental so far in the short term with my development and improvement,” she said.
“And Tanya Hetherington, my midfield coach, has been huge … I’m hoping to continue building my relationship with them and hopefully get some success all together.”
Despite the Swans’ stellar 2-0 start to the season, Moloney said the team wouldn’t get ahead themselves, with the midfielder also well aware of the Cats’ strengths despite their 0-2 start.
“We’ve had two good wins off the bat which has been really exciting for Swans fans and us as a team – but you can only look ahead to your next opposition so we’re excited to go down to Geelong and compete,” Moloney said.
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Originally published as Sydney midfielder Darcy Moloney reveals the main reason behind her trade from Geelong
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