[1] Hec McDonald began playing rugby league around the age of 21 for the Frankton Albions in 1921 where he is mentioned as being "a new man" after an appearance against Pirates on May 21.
The game was notable because it was the opening of the short lived League Park on Clare Street in Cambridge with Mayor Sam Lewis present for the ceremony.
They lost 21 points to 12 before playing Auckland at Carlaw Park (a ground he was to become familiar with) and were thrashed 73–29 by a side which featured 11 New Zealand international players.
Hinemoa was a new rugby league ground in Hamilton and McDonald was said to have played a "fine game" despite much of the field being heavy and partially underwater due to recent rains.
[13] Hec McDonald first played for the City Rovers on August 18, 1923, with his name first appearing in their team list the day before.
[14] He was described as "a recent City recruit, [who] showed fine form in the open and should be of great assistance to his side".
[15] City had needed to win the match against Athletic to force a playoff for the title and McDonald joined the side that week.
[17] It was said in The New Zealand Herald that "on the form displayed in his first two games for City, McDonald is worthy of consideration by the League selectors".
[21] A writer for the Auckland Star said of McDonald that he gave "a fine display" and "is one of the best forwards playing in the league this season".
In the first match he played in the second row alongside New Zealand "Legend of League" Bert Avery where McDonald was said to be "the best of a fine bunch…, he was brilliant".
In the 17–2 victory McDonald was also prominent despite the match being played on a surface covered in water with some suggestion beforehand that it should be postponed.
[29] McDonald played well, being "noticeable in fine hustling work" in a 28–13 loss in front of 7000 at Carlaw Park[30] He was then selected in the reserves for the first test match between New Zealand and England after being initially named to start but being replaced by Neil Mouat from the West Coast side.
An enormous crowd of 12,000 turned out to see England victorious by 31 points to 11 with McDonald playing lock in a forward pack featuring Jim O'Brien, Sam Lowrie, Ernie Herring, Neil Mouat, and Lou Peterson.
McDonald was then involved in the Roope Rooster final where City lost to rivals Ponsonby United 10–5 before a 7,500 strong crowd.
[41] McDonald then departed City Rovers and left the club before their Stormont Shield final match with Ponsonby United.
It was then announced in late May that he "was expected in Auckland last week, as he intended to play for City again, but he has evidently altered his plans" and is now "one of the leading players under the control of the newly-established League centre at Rotorua.
He helped guide his side to a 29–12 win over Auckland and in so doing they won the Northern Union Challenge Cup[46] It is unknown if McDonald continued to play rugby league after this match.