[1] 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.
[2] McDonald became captain-coach of Werribee in the VFA, and coached the club to a premiership victory in 1993.
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] 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.