GEELONG star Aisling Moloney has spearheaded Geelong to a 33-point win over Waalitj Marawar with a career-best bag of six goals at Mineral Resources Park, keeping the Cats' slim finals hopes alive with a brilliant individual performance.

Moloney extended her lead at the top of the goalkicking leaderboard to five and set a new club record for goals in a game, becoming just the fourth player in AFLW history to kick six or more goals as the Cats ran away to win 9.2 (56) 3.5 (23).

EAGLES v CATS Full match coverage and stats

She was the standout player in an entertaining clash as the Eagles' season also went on the line, producing an outstanding display of accurate set shot goalkicking while also getting free to kick two in general play.

Geelong's season looked over just seven days ago, but a shock win over Brisbane and this victory over the Eagles has moved the Cats to within four points of eighth-placed Essendon, meaning they can still play finals if they beat Adelaide next week and other results fall their way. 

Her back-to-back goals to start the fourth quarter from marks inside 50 iced the game for the Cats, who backed up their impressive upset win against Brisbane last week with another organised performance.

Georgie Prespakis (27 disposals and nine clearances) and Nina Morrison (19 and eight tackles) were terrific through the midfield in an entertaining battle with Eagles star Ella Roberts (33 and a goal).

For the Eagles, they are now too far adrift to play finals in their first year under coach Daisy Pearce, losing their fourth straight match after impressing through the early stages of the season and going goalless in the second half on Saturday.

Geelong's ability to transition quickly and get behind the Eagles' defence shaped as a threat on Saturday, and so it proved early when Rachel Kearns and Jacqueline Parry combined with two rapid kicks through the corridor to set up Moloney for the opener.

Roberts combined brilliantly with ruck Sarah Lackay inside 50 to get the Eagles on the board and add the finishing touches to another outstanding first quarter with 11 disposals and two clearances.

The Eagles didn't get the bang for buck they were looking for, however, after some missed opportunities and trailed by three at the first break when ex-Eagle Mikayla Bowen out-worked Verity Simmons in the pocket.

Moloney elevated in the second term and got free for back-to-back goals to give Geelong the first meaningful break in the game, with Presparkis also lifting to drive the Cats' charge from the midfield.

The Eagles responded impressively and took advantage of a strong breeze to kick back-to-back goals themselves through Kellie Gibson and Simmons.

It was their best period of play for the day, however, as the Cats went on to dominate the second half through Moloney and their midfield stars.

Zali Friswell suffered a nasty looking ankle injury that will need to be assessed, while Julia Crockett-Grills was also ruled out early with an ankle complaint.

Most goals in a game, AFLW

Brooke Lochland - 7.3, Western Bulldogs v Carlton, 2018
Jamie Stanton - 6.2, Gold Coast v West Coast, 2023
Greta Bodey - 6.0, Hawthorn v St Kilda, 2024
Aishling Moloney - 6.0, Geelong v West Coast, 2024

Lackay and Roberts' stoppage magic
Waalitj Marawar ruck Sarah Lackay was a dominant force on Saturday, with plenty of quality to go with her sheer quantity of hit-outs. A highlight came in the first quarter when she set up at an inside 50 stoppage and made space for Ella Roberts to run behind her, tapping over her head to Eagles' superstar, who snapped a terrific goal on the run. There was variety to Lackay's work, who also used her dominance to hit long out of stoppages at the right times, finishing with 34 hit-outs and five clearances.

Gun talls' battle royale
Moloney was magnificent, but the performance of West Coast defender Beth Schilling should not go unmentioned, with the tall preventing many more goals in a battle of two stars early in their AFLW careers. Schilling and Zoe Wakfer shared duties on Moloney, with the former taking the mark of the day during the third quarter on Moloney's back. They were physical battles too, with Wakfer copping a high hit early in the fourth when Moloney threw an arm back to shrug off her opponent after marking, resulting in a reversal. The star Cat came out on top, but her opponents' efforts elevated the contest.

Next up
Geelong will kick off the final week of the home-and-away season with a Friday night clash against Adelaide at GMHBA Stadium, hoping to spoil the Crows' top-four chances. The Eagles' season will come to a close with a trip to Henson Park to take on Sydney.

WAALITJ MARAWAR 1.3 3.4 3.5 3.5 (23)
GEELONG 2.0 4.0 6.1 9.2 (56)

GOALS
Waalitj Marawar: Gibson, Roberts, Simmons
Geelong: Moloney 6, Bowen, Parry, Surman

BEST
Waalitj Marawar: Roberts, Lakay, Schilling, Lewis, Thomas, Drennan
Geelong: Moloney, Prespakis, Morrison, Bowen, Kearns, Parry

INJURIES
Waalitj Marawar: Roux (back)
Geelong: Crockett-Grills (ankle), Friswell (ankle)

LATE CHANGES
Waalitj Marawar: Nil
Geelong: Caitlin Thorne replaced in the selected side by Abbey McDonald

Crowd: 2,015 at Mineral Resources Park