Just six weeks after joining up with her new Geelong Cats teams, Tipperary native Aishling Moloney made her AFLW debut at the weekend.
Moloney had eight disposals and kicked her first goal as Geelong defeated Western Bulldogs 65-17 in their opening game of the new AFLW season.
"It was very exciting," Moloney said about her debut.
"Getting the jersey presented to me before the game was definitely an emotional one. I didn't anticipate or know that my parents were going to be on a big screen, and to have them there witness it with me, sitting in my home house in Tipperary was definitely something that I will carry for a long time.
"That's what Geelong football club is about too. It's all about the little things, and making it feel like home. Since I've been here. it's like I've been home in Ireland. Nothing has really changed for me.
15 September 2019; Aishling Moloney of Tipperary and Orlaith Duff of Meath during the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship Final match between Meath and Tipperary at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
"It's been a whirlwind. It's six weeks since I've been here. I think I nearly slept in the club for the first two weeks, did a few overnighters trying to learn the rules and trying to get the basics.
"Me and Anna Rose (Kenney), the other Irish girl that I came over with, we did have a hard conversation coming over on the plane, that we are going to be completely out of our comfort zone and that we're entering a sport and team that we don't know, and to just accept that and appreciate it.
"Week one, week two, I'm anticipating that I'm going to get homesick. The guys here did really well in keeping us busy and on our toes and keeping us active with different things. They didn't give us time to think in the first few weeks.
"Mam and Dad are coming out in six weeks and I'm really excited to see them. At the same, I haven't been missing home too much. Kudos to the club for what they've done for us since we landed."
Aishling Moloney goal on AFLW debut
Welcome to Aussie Rules, Aishling Moloney 🇮🇪#AFLWCatsDogs pic.twitter.com/uMNbjC9Yjt
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) September 2, 2023
Moloney said it felt "unbelievable" to kick her first goal.
"Firstly, coming from Ireland, five or six weeks ago now, I didn't anticipate that I would debut this early," she said.
"Debut this early was unbelievable in itself and something that I did not expect to happen so soon. Of course, being a forward, our reason for being there is to try and score. To get the goal on my debut was something really special.
"Having played Adelaide the previous week in a practice game, I would have missed two or three [chances]. That's something I've been working on in the last two weeks, that when that opportunity does arise in front of goal, that I'd take it the next time."
21 May 2021; Aishling Moloney of Tipperary in action against Aisling Kelleher, left, and Erika O'Shea of Cork during the Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 1B Round 1 match between Cork and Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Following the weekend's game, Geelong senior coach Dan Lowther said he was "super pleased" with Moloney.
"She looks exciting," he said.
"She doesn't panic. She plays her Gaelic game at our level. She's only been out here for two months. She showed us she's a real threat up front too, took a really nice mark as well. She's picked up the game really quickly."
