AFL Finals: Connor Macdonald explains his goal celebrations, his role in electric Hawks forward line

Connor Macdonald is leading the way in terms of the zany ‘Hok-ball’ celebrations, but one has a deeper meaning than the others, holding a special family connection that got him to the big time.

Of all the zany celebrations Connor Macdonald has pulled off this year, the one ordered by coach Sam Mitchell might even be eclipsed by a shout-out with deeper meaning.

Macdonald and his rascalish band of Hawthorn teammates are constantly dreaming up new celebrations ripped from Tiktok, rap music and European soccer.

But the celebration of the suburb of Doveton says everything about his deep connection to father Robbie and his determination to remember where his family came from.

Father Robbie was a former Hawthorn under-19s footballer and amateur boxer who grew up near the housing commission area of Doveton then travelled around the world as a merchant seaman.

Connor Macdonald is one of the brash young Hawks leading the way up forward. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

For 21-year-old Macdonald the hours he spent training with his dad through Covid-interrupted seasons as a junior might have been just as important as his father’s introduction to the Doveton football club.

It is why Macdonald came up with the “3177” celebration to pay homage to Doveton.

The pair are so tight his old man his old man has not missed a single one of his 65 AFL games so far – which includes 27 interstate encounters.

“The ‘31’ and then ‘77’ is a shout-out to my postcode which is where I am from. It’s a special place in me and my dad’s hearts,” he said on Monday.

“3177 is the postcode of Doveton is where my dad grew up and where I grew up playing footy and played all my footy at Doveton and a few senior games.

“We have a really good relationship. He’s been every single one of my games so far. So he’s travelled all across Australia, and he’s my right hand man. I have got a really good relationship with him. We talk about a lot of stuff in each other’s lives and we help each other out. He will listen to anything day or night, it doesn’t matter what time it is. He’s just there to help me out.”

Macdonald played only seven games of school football for Haileybury College in 2020 and two for the Dandenong Stingrays, so Robbie and Connor filled in the gaps with a running program and regular skills sessions.

The family will load up the car and drive to Adelaide for the Hawks’ fourth Adelaide Oval clash this year.

“He is driving over with mum and my sister, they will hit the road. He refers to himself as the truck driver, so he will get the truck on the road over to Adelaide.”

Elite-running Macdonald has missed only three games since his debut and yet when Nick Watson and Jack Ginnivan arrived he still backed himself to retain his half forward role.

“It was interesting, obviously getting Ginnivan across from Collingwood and then drafting Nick Watson, but I was just really excited to work with them,” he said.

“I think we all knew that they were going to bring excitement, and that’s what they’ve done this year, which has been amazing. They just bring excitement and invite the fans into the atmosphere and as you saw on the weekend it’s been amazing.

“I backed myself in, and I knew that my hard work and my effort would allow me to keep playing football. So I was really excited that Jack came across, and that I was going to be able to work with him and Dylan Moore, and then we’ve got Nick Watson as well. So I think we’ve gelled really well. And we could fill holes for each other if we are out of position, so we really compliment each other.”