Donald McDonald (footballer)

Donald McDonald (born 10 May 1962) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach.[1]

Donald McDonald
Personal information
Full name Donald McDonald
Date of birth (1962-05-10) 10 May 1962 (age 62)
Original team(s) St. Brendan's
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 97 kg (214 lb)
Position(s) Ruck, key position
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1982–1992 North Melbourne 155 (165)
Coaching career3
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
2004 Hawthorn 5 (2–3–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1992.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 2004.
Career highlights

Playing

Coaching

Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Playing career

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North Melbourne Football Club

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Recruited from St. Brendan's in Flemington, McDonald debuted with the North Melbourne Football Club in the VFL(now AFL) in 1982. He was a tall player who could play key position or in the ruck, and in 1984 won the Kangaroos' leading goalkicker award. He played in the VFL until 1992, having amassed 155 games and 165 goals.[2]

Coaching career

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Early career

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McDonald became captain-coach of Werribee in the VFA, and coached the club to a premiership victory in 1993. He coached at Werribee from 1993 until 1999.[3]

From 2000 to 2002 he was non-playing coach of the Box Hill Hawks in the VFL, and coached the club to a premiership victory in 2001, defeating his former club Werribee in the grand final.

Hawthorn Football Club

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In the 2004 season, McDonald took over from Peter Schwab, after Schwab resigned from the Hawthorn Football Club senior coaching job late in the season following a dismal season.[4][5] McDonald was then promoted from assistant coach to caretaker senior coach of Hawthorn for the remainder of the 2004 season.[6] Hawthorn under McDonald won two games of the remaining five games of the 2004 season, to finish in fifteenth place on the ladder, which was the second-last placed position. McDonald was however not retained as Hawthorn Football Club senior coach at the end of the 2004 season and was replaced by Alastair Clarkson as Hawthorn Football Club senior coach.[7][8]

North Melbourne Football Club assistant coach and other roles with the club

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McDonald then became an assistant coach at his old club, North Melbourne Kangaroos, for the 2005 season and then he transitioned to work in a number of key roles at the club, including as the Football Manager.[9][10][11] McDonald's son Luke was drafted by North Melbourne as a father-son recruit in 2013 National Draft with 8th pick.

Other coaching roles

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McDonald went on to be the senior coach of the Avondale Heights Football Club who compete in the top division of the Essendon Region Football League. After this, McDonald was appointed as the club’s Football Director of The Old Scotch Football Club.[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2003). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (5th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Crown Content. p. 468. ISBN 1-74095-032-1.
  2. ^ "Victorian Amateur Football Association: Donald McDonald brings AFL/VFL experience to Cardinals as football director". 23 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  3. ^ Marc Fiddian (2003), The Best of Football Trivia, Hastings, VIC: Galaxy Print and Design, p. 23
  4. ^ "Schwab calls it quits at Hawthorn after change of heart". 27 July 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Schwab out immediately, McDonald in". 27 July 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  6. ^ "McDonald's on menu as Schwab goes". 27 July 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Hawks appoint Clarkson as coach". 8 September 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Victorian Amateur Football Association: Donald McDonald brings AFL/VFL experience to Cardinals as football director". 23 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Donald McDonald ready for new role". 14 March 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Donald McDonald appointed Old Scotch Football Director". 21 October 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Victorian Amateur Football Association: Donald McDonald brings AFL/VFL experience to Cardinals as football director". 23 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  12. ^ "Donald McDonald appointed Old Scotch Football Director". 21 October 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Victorian Amateur Football Association: Donald McDonald brings AFL/VFL experience to Cardinals as football director". 23 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
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