While many Irish athletes have made the move to Australia, not many could have dreamed of having the impact of Tipperary’s Aishling Moloney.

Signed by Geelong Cats for the 2023 season, the Tipperary forward made an instant impact at the club, as she was named the AFL Players Association’s best first year player, helping Geelong reach the preliminary final.

Moloney has wasted no time in the new year, as she was in action for Tipperary for the first round of the Lidl National League against Cavan.

Speaking to Breakingnews.ie, there was never a question about taking time off after a busy 2023, as she was determined to return to action for her county.

“It’s lovely to be back and getting back into it again. I arrived home just before Christmas, so I got back into it straight away, nice to play in the cold weather as well.

“I was playing for Tipp, at the start of the year I committed to that, so it wasn’t even a question at all. Growing up, you are playing all year round for seven/eight years of your life, with school, college, club and county.”

It can often take time to settle into a new country, especially on the other side of the world, but Aisling faced a further challenge of taking on a whole new sport.

To succeed, the Tipperary forward was keen to learn every day, and despite her incredible performances in 2023, she is determined to improve for her return later in the year.

“It was a massive challenge to pick up a new sport and move to the other side of the world away from family and friends.

“Going out there, I had no expectations of myself, but with the will to learn. Every day I went to training, I was never satisfied with where I was at, I always wanted to learn more.

“I couldn’t have anticipated that it would have went as well as it did. Personally, I think there is loads to work on for next year. I think it is just down to taking it a game at a time, a training at a time.”

The opportunity to play a professional sport and experience life in Australia is one too good to turn down, and the AFLW is clearly anxious to have Gaelic players among their ranks, with 30 Irish players now part of the league.

While Aishling was made wait for her chance in Australia, she took everything in her stride, and it quickly became clear how busy the life of a professional sportsperson can be.

The rest of the Irish contingent at the club made the transition easier, she says, with Mayo’s Rachel Kearns helping her along and offering advice on the game.

“I would have been first in contact with a club five years ago. It was something that I just kept putting off. Eventually then I made the move.

“From the moment I landed over there we were straight into training. It is so busy with learning a new sport, learning the terminology of it all and getting the foundations right.

“Before you know it you are actually on the way home, it is mad how fast it goes. You don’t have time to think out there.

“If you are not training, you are recovering. If you are not recovering, you are meeting the head coach or line coach.

“Playing in a professional environment is something anyone dreams of growing up. I had no expectations going out there of what it might look like. Within a few weeks, there was no doubt in my mind I was thinking of how an unbelievable opportunity it was.”

Back in Tipperary, Aishling has been one of the county’s standout players in recent years.

A serious knee ligament injury had ruled her out of much of 2022, but she bounced back in 2023 with great performances at both sides of the world.

The season started with Aishling starting in Tipperary’s win away to Cavan in Division Two. The Premier County forward admits development is key for this young side.

“There is a very young team there, with a lot of new faces in starting places this year, so I suppose you have to be realistic with that.

“If we were to make a league final, it would be unbelievable. For the championship, we haven’t won a championship game apart from relegation play-off, so winning a championship game this year would be number one on our priority list.”