TIPPERARY STAR AISHLING Moloney has won the Best First Year Player award in the AFLW.

Moloney, 25, excelled through her debut season with Geelong Cats. Her stats speak for themselves, with the towering forward kicking 10 goals in 13 games. 

“She is very quickly becoming the face of the competition,” as Geelong head coach Dan Lowther said in recent weeks.

A two-time All-Ireland winner with Tipperary, Moloney was instrumental as Geelong made history by contesting the semi-finals last weekend. 

Talk about making an immediate impact 🤩@catswomens spearhead Aishling Moloney has taken out the AFLPA Best First Year Player award! pic.twitter.com/5sxHimTwjq

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) November 28, 2023

She was on target in a narrow defeat to Brisbane Lions, with Orla O’Dwyer and Jennifer Dunne advancing to the Grand Final at the expense of Irish counterparts Moloney, Rachel Kearns and Anna Rose Kennedy. Brisbane face North Melbourne — home to Erika O’Shea, Niamh Martin and Ailish Considine — in this Sunday’s decider.

Two other Irish players joined Moloney in the top five for the AFLPA Best First Year Player award: Donegal and Sydney Swans star Tanya Kennedy was second, with Aimee Mackin of Armagh and Melbourne finishing fifth.

Meanwhile, North Melbourne’s Jasmine Garner landed the top gong of AFLPA Most Valuable Player. It’s her second time winning the award, having previously done so in 2020.

Yesterday, Niamh Kelly became just the second Irish player to be voted onto the AFLW All-Australian team, following in the footsteps of Orla O’Dwyer.