The tall forward, 28, said he was raring to go for Saturday’s ultimate decider against the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium, Perth, and had overcome a sore back that resulted in him missing a couple of weeks earlier in the season.
“It’s been a little bit tight but it’s pretty good, especially the past two weeks because we’ve had a bit more time off. It’s actually quite good at the moment,” he said.
He said although he did not consider his form to be ‘outstanding’ in the past couple of weeks, his coaches had told him they were happy with the way he was performing his role.
“They said what I was doing was exactly what they asked for,” he said.
“I’d love to be kicking bags of goals, but we’ve had a couple of comfortable wins and we’re playing well in finals, so I think they’re happy with the way I’ve been playing.
“To get a few snags in a grand final would be nice, but I won’t go changing the way I’ve been playing this past couple of weeks.”
McDonald recently shored up his playing future, signing a new three-year deal with the Demons.
He said it was a satisfying feeling.
“It wasn’t looking real positive last year, but it’s been really good working with the club,” he said.
“Me deciding to come back in really good condition and play some good footy has helped me extend my career here for a few more years.”
McDonald said having a big off-season played a key role in his form, along with losing weight to become more mobile.
“It’s helped with the way I moved and recovered and things like that,” he said.
“It also helped me to get off to a really good start to the year and get myself in the side and play in the team all year.”
Previously a key forward, McDonald has found himself playing higher up the ground this season.
“My role has changed, I’m more of a link player up a bit higher and helping get it out of the backline and through to the boys a little bit quicker,” he said.
“The role can change depending on match-ups, but it’s been working really well for us to be a bit more high-scoring the past four or five weeks.”
McDonald played his junior football with Edenhope-Apsley in Horsham District league and was drafted to Melbourne via the North Ballarat Rebels – now Greater Western Victoria Rebels – with pick 53 in the 2010 AFL draft.
When asked if, as a young kid growing up in Edenhope, he ever thought he would play in an AFL grand final, McDonald said ‘as an AFL player through the middle part of my career I didn’t think it would happen’.
“We were the perennial cellar dweller and it didn’t look very likely that we were going to make our way to the top,” he said.
“It hasn’t really become a reality until maybe 2018, when it seemed possible, and we didn’t make it, then the past couple of years it was going in the wrong direction again and I didn’t know where my career was.
“It’s been a nice turnaround. As a kid I just loved playing footy and basketball and tennis and all the different sports – I wasn’t like some kids who were solely focused on playing AFL, I just loved playing sport and what came of it, came of it.
“I’ve been lucky enough to do it now for 11 years and hopefully a few more – 14 years to the end of my contract, which has been pretty special to be honest.”
McDonald said although Melbourne was enjoying an outstanding season culminating in a chance to win a premiership, it was tough being away from his family, particularly his wife Ruby and their young children Bella and Leo.
“I had a little fella Leo about three months ago and I reckon I’ve probably been with him less than half of his life so far – that’s been a bit sad,” he said.
His family will not be able to watch him play in person, due to travel restrictions and quarantine rules, however he will have a few friends at the ground.
He said he understood having the grand final in Perth was also tough for Melbourne fans, who had waited a long time to see their beloved Demons in a grand final.
“But I guess, if we were to get the job done and win, I’m sure they’d be more than happy to take that as the result,” he said.
“If someone said to them at the start of the year, would you take a grand final even if it was in Perth, I think every Melbourne supporter would say yes.
“So, we’ll take it as it is and hopefully Victoria can get itself back together and we can be back there next year.”
McDonald said despite an opportunity to break a premiership drought, there was no additional pressure because of the long time between drinks.
“Anyone who’s in a grand final feels pressure,” he said.
“There’s expectations and if you finish the season on top of the ladder and go in playing good footy – there’s pressure to perform and win.
“I think that’s going to be the case for both sides. There’s no more pressure because of the number of years, that’s just part of the excitement if we can do it.”
The grand final match will kick off under lights at 7.15pm AEST on Saturday.
Wimmera finalists
Former Minyip-Murtoa footballer Lachlan Delahunty is also chasing a premiership in Perth, with his Subiaco side qualifying for this year’s Western Australian Football League decider.
Delahunty has had another strong season in the WAFL, making the league’s team of the year for 2021.
The Lions star was named in the ruck, with the selection criteria based on the number of times players featured in ‘team of the rounds’ during the home-and-away season.
Subiaco qualified for the grand final at Optus Stadium on October 2 following a 22-point win over South Fremantle in the second week of finals.
The Lions will play the winner of this week’s preliminary final between South Fremantle and Claremont.
Other Wimmera exports to enjoy grand-final glory include southern Mallee export Marcus Burdett, who earlier this year chalked up his 500th game.
Burdett’s Willunga outfit celebrated victory over Langhorne Creek in South Australia’s Great Southern Football League, triumphing 13.5 (83) to 4.12 (36).
In Queensland, former Horsham Saint Sam Jasper capped off a strong season when his Broadbeach Cats won a senior premiership at the weekend.
The Cats enjoyed a 38-point win over Maroochydore in the Queensland Australian Football League, QAFL.
