Date against Melbourne gives McDonald chance to bury his demons

TOM Scully isn't the only Giants player feeling a little nervous about his first game against his former club Melbourne.

James McDonald

TOM Scully isn't the only Giants player feeling a little nervous about his first game against his former club Melbourne.

In 2010, the Demons cut short the career of their former skipper James McDonald when he was convinced he still had plenty to offer.

Fast forward two years and the veteran McDonald has been a key figure at the Giants, averaging 18 possessions and a club-high seven tackles per match.

"I can totally understand their reasoning behind it but a bit more warning would have been handy," McDonald told The Daily Telegraph yesterday. "It wasn't an issue of whether I could play - it was a question of stiffling the development of Jordie McKenzie who plays a similar role."

McDonald was offered an assistant coaching role, but gambled on more footy and a new life in Sydney: "I could have taken a job at Melbourne and stayed in my comfort zone," McDonald said. "I was convinced I could get more moving out of my nest in Melbourne and I have.

"Working with Sheeds and learning all his tricks has been great.

"Mark (Williams) has been fantastic for me working on the midfielders the way he breaks the game down for the players."

The durable midfielder is convinced the Giants' practice of training players to become coaches (Chad Cornes and Dean Brogan are also assistant coaches) will become common place in the AFL.

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