Former AFL BWB Regional Manager Anthony McDonald has been appointed to the newly created position of Club Development Manager – Western Magpies as the club prepares to enter the AFL QLD State League Division 1 competition the Velocity Sports Cup in 2009 on the back of its 2008 Division 2 Premiership.
McDonald comes to the Western Magpies after eight and a half years as AFL BWB Regional Manager in which he has overseen the region transform from a poorly structured and struggling competition in 2000 to a vibrant competition underpinned by solid organisational structure, strong participation and great corporate support in 2008. This was highlighted in McDonalds last week in the region as 2,500 spectators witnessed ATW Bundaberg AFC defeat Hervey Bay Bombers by two points in an epic 2008 Grand Final.
38 year old McDonald was born in Melbourne and over the journey has played and coached football in city and country in most States except Western Australia and Tasmania. Including playing in the U/19’s and Reserves at Port Melbourne in the then VFA before winning a Sunday Mail Medal in the Mid South East FL in SA on his way to North Adelaide in the SANFL where he won the Reserves leading goal kicker in 1993. He then headed to Darwin for the 1993/4 off season where he played for Nightcliff in the NTFL following which he migrated to Brisbane playing for Strathpine in 1994,95 and 96.
In 1997 McDonald moved North to Hervey Bay where he was appointed Senior Coach of the Fraser Coast Magpies taking them to a Grand final in his first year. In 1998 he returned to study a diploma of Fitness and Recreation at Wide Bay TAFE and represented Country Queensland at the Australian Country Championships in Bendigo. In 1999 McDonald concentrated his coaching on junior football and was appointed by the AFL BWB Development officer Robin Hull as U/14 AFL BWB Coach winning the U/14 Country Championships and was subsequently appointed by AFL QLD as U/14 Country Queensland Coach for the U/14 State Championships. Coincidently 2008 Ray Poulter Medal winner in the 2008 Western Magpies Pineapple Cup Premiership triumph James Rozynski was a member of that U/14 CQ Team. McDonald Graduated from TAFE in 1999 and won the Stedman Medal for AFL BWB Best and Fairest and was appointed by AFL QLD as AFL BWB Development Officer in March 2000.
McDonald’s extensive experience will hold him in good stead as he takes on the challenge of working with the Western Magpies as they strive to establish themselves at the elite level of Queensland Australian Football.
McDonald said,”I am looking forward to working extremely hard with the board, football department, volunteers, players and supporters of the club as it strives to ensure the Western Magpies is a strong competitor at the elite level in Queensland on and off the field perminantly”.
Western Magpies “Swoop 09”
Last Modified on 03/10/2008 12:13