How Geelong AFLW defender Meg McDonald went from unwanted to playing finals

Meg McDonald will be one of the fairytale stories of Geelong’s AFLW finals campaign, transforming herself from a player who went unlisted to a key member of the Cats backline.

Meg McDonald has been a key member of Geelong’s inaugural AFLW side. Picture: Getty Images.

Meg McDonald found out in an Uber the Cats would play finals.

Rushing to get to Whitten Oval, the Geelong defender knew her team’s hopes hinged on Collingwood’s clash with Brisbane at Victoria Park.

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“I apologised (to the Uber driver) because I was being quite rude, but I was watching the footy (on my phone),” she laughed.

“It’s a funny feeling, because we’re obviously pretty disappointed with the last two weeks and how we performed … certainly we were a bit flat after the GWS game and thought it might well be over.

“And then as Collingwood got up early I thought ‘this is just going to add to the heartbreak’. It’s going to get hopeful, and then Brisbane are going to come back. But got over the line in the end.”

Meg McDonald has made the most of her second chance in AFLW. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images.

The rest, as they say, is history and the Conference B Cats advanced.

For McDonald it’s a far cry from the days of feeling like an “impostor”.

Cut by the Dogs at the end of AFLW01 and left unlisted in season two, McDonald knew she’d have to do the work.

She knew she belonged in AFL Women’s. She hadn’t been ready, sparking that sense of “impostor syndrome”.

But returning a missed call saw her find a home at the Cattery, where the defender is now preparing to play in a preliminary final.

Then there’s the nod of All-Australian squad selection this week.

“It’s an amazing honour — it’s strange to even be using words like that,” McDonald laughs.

“I’ve always looked to the girls in the All-Australian team as almost in another league, but then I think as I’ve tried to get myself back into the league and then perform well, I appreciate more and more that it is just about hard work, good communication with the club and being in an environment that allows you to perform.

“I always believed that I had the ability to play AFLW. For it to have gone this well is a bit of a bonus.”

Meg McDonald (right) with teammate Julia Crockett-Grills. Picture: Glenn Ferguson

There’s a bit of a “catch 22”, given she’d be happy to not even touch the Sherrin each week.

“It’s exciting to be spoken of in those terms, but at the same time, I’m happy to not touch the ball week to week, being at full back,” McDonald says.

“For the ball to go straight out of the centre and into the forwardline, it’s happy days. But I’m very thankful and I think it’s recognition for myself but I try and make it clear that I’m well aware that there are plenty of people that I surround myself with that have gotten me back.”

An opponent is one of those — a housemate who helped keep the fire alight in the 27-year-old.

Carlton star Darcy Vescio has shared digs and the housework with McDonald for the last four years, and if both Geelong and the Blues salute this weekend, they could well meet in the AFLW Grand Final.

No one will quite have to move out, but there’s nerves.

“There’s no sledging yet, because I don’t know that that really works for me and I don’t want to poke the bear,” she says.

Meg McDonald was previously listed by the Western Bulldogs.

Meg McDonald is sandwiched in a pack while playing for Darebin Falcons in VFLW.

“At the start of the season, (Darcy, Giant Jess Dal Pos and I) were like ‘odds-wise, one of us is going to play finals. For both of us to be playing finals, it’s been a bit like ‘oh, s …, here we are.

“We handled Round 4 very well, it was very chill. We both wish each other very well, but we are pretty nervous about it at the same time, I think. At the end of the day, she could kick five goals on me. There’s a lot to happen before then, but it’s an exciting week.”

Geelong has to get past the Crows first, at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

McDonald feels “liberated by the lack of expectation”, with the Crows favourite to take out a second flag in three seasons.

There’s nothing to lose, and it’s an opportunity for an experience, which for McDonald could include facing off against the best player in the competition — Erin Phillips.

“Of course (I’d welcome the challenge),” she said.

“I’ve got as much admiration for Erin as the next person. What she’s done is incredible and she’s a formidable opponent.

“Size-wise, I think we’d be a good match-up. It just depends what they do with her — she spat forward from the midfield last time and we sort of were left a bit exposed and didn’t pick her up on the way through.

“I’m equally impressed with Stevie-Lee Thompson, and Chloe Scheer’s phenomenally talented in my eyes. Erin’s obviously an incredible player and will probably win the league B & F, but one player hasn’t meant they’ve had the season they’ve had. The whole team’s pretty good.”