West Australian junior Logan McDonald says he isn’t a flight risk

Adelaide faces a tough call between local talent and an interstate gun come draft time. But is Logan McDonald really a flight risk?

West Australian star junior Logan McDonald has declared he wants to be the national draft’s No. 1 overall selection, adamant he is no flight risk if Adelaide calls his name first on December 9.

The 196cm key position forward told the Herald Sun he would be a one-club player at the team that selected him, saying he would remain loyal to the club that gave him his first chance.

While Western Bulldogs-linked tall Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is considered the draft’s most talented player, McDonald has roared into contention along with Adelaide ruck-forward Riley Thilthorpe as the No. 1 overall pick.

Adelaide has made clear it could still select Ugle-Hagan before the Dogs match a bid on him, but their real conundrum is whether to take WA teen McDonald over local SANFL tall Thilthorpe.

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Logan McDonald is in the mix to be taken with the No. 1 pick. Picture: Getty Images

Thilthorpe played in a battling side and with a sore groin late in the year, while McDonald got better as the year went on and finished equal second on the senior WAFL goalkicking tally with 21 goals from nine games.

The 18-year-old told News Corp he was aware Essendon and Gold Coast were considering whether to trade up the national draft order to select him.

The first-year finance and property development university student is a well-adjusted kid who says any talk he could be a “flight risk” to Adelaide is way off the mark.

“Yeah, I laugh a bit about it. There is always that talk about drafting a WA kid and the lure to come home but I plan on being loyal and I plan on being a one-club player,” he said.

“I want to go as high in the draft as I can and wherever that might be, that is where I want to play my career. I plan on being a one-club player for my career. I think I am always grateful for the people that help me along the way and if I am fortunate enough that a club will take a chance on me, then I want to repay that faith for as long as I can. That’s my plan.”

McDonald has surged up the draft charts after spending eight weeks in COVID lockdown working on West Coast star Josh Kennedy’s fitness and football programs, provided to him by Eagles assistant Jaymie Graham.

It saw him leapfrog rival contenders and immediately make an impact when the WAFL season started while playing for the Perth Football Club.

Logan McDonald kicking for goal. Picture: Getty Images

The athleticism on full display. Picture: Getty Images

The devoted Pies fan is unashamed about his desire to follow in the footsteps of No. 1 draft pick Nick Riewoldt, who his roaming athletic game has been compared to this year.

“I would love to be the No. 1 pick. I have played footy for as long as I can remember and I have dreamed about getting drafted and that opportunity is two weeks away. Being taken No. 1 is definitely something I would be proud about when my career is finished.

“I have been a Collingwood supporter all my life, I am a massive Scott Pendlebury fan but I have always loved Nick Riewoldt. He is a class forward and so consistent and he was able to change his game and be a versatile forward so he’s definitely someone where I have taken hints from his game and tried to adopt them in mine.”

Last year’s No. 1 selection Matt Rowell is an avid gardener but McDonald concedes his hobbies don’t stray far from the traditional as a devotee of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and NBA’s Portland Trailblazers.

“I just play footy, go to uni, I play a lot of golf and I watch any sport on TV. American sports like basketball, gridiron, soccer, so I am just a big sports nuffy.”

Logan McDonald celebrates a goal. Picture: Getty Images

Was there a line in the sand moment when he was able to turn the corner in a manner which helped him realise his sporting dream?

“I have been pretty fortunate that I have made every state and rep team since I was 12 but last year as an under-ager in the Under-18s my coach Peter Sumich basically told me he didn’t think I was working hard enough and got off that phone call with him and said, ‘Stuff you, Suma, that’s not who I am’.

“I put my head down and worked hard and got into the state Under-18s team and that’s something I am pretty proud of. My family instilled resilience into me. He is more of an old-school coach and someone I really owe a lot to. He is awesome but it was definitely a motivating factor for me."

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Originally published as West Australian junior Logan McDonald says he isn’t a flight risk