[1] O'Donnell joined the Fitzroy Football Club in early 1985 as part of the deal which saw Les Parish move to the Demons but O'Donnell broke his shoulder and didn't play a game for the Lions.
O'Donnell coached Barooga in 1989 and 1990 and then won the Murray Football League's O'Dwyer Medal in 1992 and won the VCFL Medal for best on ground in 1992 grand final premiership win for Barooga.
O'Donnell then coached the Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup from 1994 to 2000 and led them to their first premiership in 1998.
He then moved over to Western Australia to be an assistant coach under former teammate Chris Connolly at Fremantle in 2001.
He then moved back to Melbourne in 2009 to be a development coach and is currently involved in the club's recruitment department.