Tipperary's Aishling Moloney became only the fourth AFLW player to kick six or more goals in a game and in doing so, moved to the top of the 2024 goal-kicking leaderboard as Geelong left Perth with a 56-23 win over the West Coast Eagles.
Moloney’s superb scoring form has kept the Cats in with a chance of reaching the finals as she took her season total to 21 – five ahead of Brisbane’s Taylor Smith - against Waalitj Marawar, renamed from the Eagles for the league's indigenous round.
Moloney makes history with six goals, the most any Cat has kicked in a single AFLW game 👏#AFLWEaglesCats pic.twitter.com/VPqQ4NOBVK
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 26, 2024
Her half-dozen tally has only been bettered in the past by Brooke Lochland, who kicked seven goals for the Western Bulldogs against Carlton back in 2018 while Jamie Stanton (Gold Coast) and Greta Bodey (Hawthorn) have also managed six goals in the past.
It could have been even better for Moloney but she was penalised for catching her opponent high after taking a mark in a good position in the final quarter, but responded soon after with her fifth and sixth goals.
Three wins in four games has moved the Cats up to 10th in the ladder with a home finale against an already-qualified Adelaide, who had Donegal's Amy Boyle-Carr amongst their interchanges for the loss to North Melbourne, presenting a chance to sneak into the top eight.
North Melbourne are another of those already through to the finals series as they currently top the ladder after that win that saw Erike O'Shea in the interchange and Blaithín Bogue on the emergency list.
Aishling Moloney kicks her fifth and gives it to her opponent!#AFLWEaglesCats pic.twitter.com/KlY2YXETdL
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) October 26, 2024
Hawthorn also kept alive their hopes of a mini premiership with a 23-17 win over the Melbourne Demons, leaving them the chance to overtake North Melbourne when the ladder runs out of rungs in round 10.
Brisbane and Fremantle are the other two sides through to the post-season, with Jennifer Dunne and Orla O'Dwyer named in the starting team for the former's clash round nine clash with Sydney on Sunday.
Follow the RTÉ Sport WhatsApp channel for the best news, interviews, analysis and features, as well as details of our sports coverage across all RTÉ platforms.
