AISHLING Moloney put on a show with four incredible goals as Geelong stormed to its first win of the season on Saturday, destroying Gold Coast by 69 points at People First Stadium.

Following a poor loss last week to Carlton, the Cats were in no mood to mess about, purring to a 50-point half-time lead and running out commanding 15.6 (96) to 4.3 (27) winners.

SUNS v CATS Full match coverage and stats

It was a horror performance by the Suns, their second shellacking at home in 2024, after a 54-point first round loss to St Kilda. Three goals in the final quarter gave them a modicum of respectability.

Geelong took advantage of the warm and sunny conditions, punishing Gold Coast on turnover to kick four unanswered goals in the first quarter and another four without answer in the second to lead 50-0 at half-time.

They kicked the first 10 goals of the match before Gold Coast skipper Tara Bohanna broke the home team's drought midway through the third term.

Moloney was magnificent with a career-best haul.

She kicked two goals in the first half and two more in the third quarter, with her running and bouncing a feature as she routinely streamed away from her struggling Suns opponents.

Jackie Parry also had two of her three goals at the half as the Cats consistently won the ball back and linked up through the middle of the ground with spare numbers seemingly at every contest.

Nina Morrison (26 disposals, seven clearances, seven tackles) did a great job minding Charlie Rowbottom (25) at stoppages early in the match and then exploding away from congestion to lead the midfield charge.

Mikayla Bowen also had a wonderful match, kicking one goal and adding three goal assists from her 25 touches, giving Gold Coast headaches with her speed around the contest.

Shelley Scott (three goals), Rebecca Webster and Darcy Moloney were also excellent, as was Claudia Gunjaca, who won the ball back 11 times for her team.

Gold Coast was fumbly and looked flat-footed against its hungry opponents and now has just one draw from its first four matches of the season.

Moloney's magic
What a day it was for Aishling Moloney. The Irishwoman kicked a career-high four goals and put together a highlight reel some players would be happy with throughout a career. Her first goal set up the day, storming across the 50m arc, taking two bounces and then snapping over her left shoulder after a moment of hesitation. Her third and fourth goals – both in the third term – also came following running bounces and composed finishes.

Kenny's brilliant buzzer beater
Geelong already had a great first quarter, kicking three unanswered goals, but Kate Kenny put the icing on the cake with the most unlikely finish to the term. Sixty metres out and the clocking ticking down, the Cat launched a drop punt deep inside forward 50. With a shepherd from her teammate and the siren sounding in the background, the ball bounced through to give the visitors the perfect end to the perfect quarter.

Up next
Geelong has to wait just five days to play again as it searches for two on the trot against Hawthorn at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday at 7.15pm AEST. Gold Coast has an extra day of recovery and travels to Melbourne to play Collingwood at Swinburne Centre next Friday at 12.05pm AEST.

GOLD COAST          0.0     0.0      1.1       4.3 (27)
GEELONG                4.0     8.2     11.5     15.6 (96)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Bohanna 2, Kievit, D'Arcy
Geelong: A.Moloney 4, Parry 3, Scott 3, Morrison, Kenny, Friswell, Bowen, Rankin

BEST 
Gold Coast: D'Arcy, Whitfort, Rowbottom
Geelong: A.Moloney, Morrison, Bowen, D.Moloney, Surman, Gunjaca

INJURIES
Gold Coast: D'Arcy (ankle)
Geelong: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 1,612 at People First Stadium