Frank McDonald
Essendon
AFL career
28 games56 goals
- Debut
- R10 1919 v RCH12 July 1919
- Most recent
- R13 1921 v COL30 July 1921
Stats
Bio
Recruited from VFA side Footscray, Frank McDonald arrived at Essendon with a unique piece of timing: his debut match in 1919 served as the final game for his brother, Paddy. A prolific full-forward, McDonald wasted no time imposing himself on the competition, leading the club’s goalkicking in both 1920 and 1921 while averaging exactly two goals a game. His sharp shooting earned him Victorian state selection and included a memorable seven-goal haul against Geelong. After just three seasons, he left the League to captain-coach country sides Hamilton and South Ballarat, but his service to the Bombers eventually resumed in a different capacity. In 1941, McDonald returned as Essendon’s inaugural Thirds coach, mentoring the next generation of talent and steering the under-19s to a premiership in 1945.
Profile
- Born
- 21 Sept 1899
- Died
- 28 May 1962 (aged 62y 249d)
- Birthplace
- Allendale, VIC
- Deathplace
- Coburg, VIC
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from VFA side Footscray, Frank McDonald arrived at Essendon with a unique piece of timing: his debut match in 1919 served as the final game for his brother, Paddy. A prolific full-forward, McDonald wasted no time imposing himself on the competition, leading the club’s goalkicking in both 1920 and 1921 while averaging exactly two goals a game. His sharp shooting earned him Victorian state selection and included a memorable seven-goal haul against Geelong. After just three seasons, he left the League to captain-coach country sides Hamilton and South Ballarat, but his service to the Bombers eventually resumed in a different capacity. In 1941, McDonald returned as Essendon’s inaugural Thirds coach, mentoring the next generation of talent and steering the under-19s to a premiership in 1945.