IN a new exciting collaborative countdown, the Rookie Me Central has teamed up with other independent media organisations to bring a 2022 AFL Women’s Top 50 Countdown. Every weekday from now until December 17, a new player will be named starting from 50th down to 1st, stemming from a combined eight Top 50 submissions. Among those who submitted Top 50s include Siren Sport‘s Gemma Bastiani, Women’s Australian Rules Football (WARF) Radio‘s Peter Holden, and a combined Outer Sanctum team’s Top 50.

Today we continue our countdown with number 37, Geelong Cats Women’s Meghan McDonald.

Meghan McDonald

Geelong

League/s: AFLW

Season/s: 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, S7, 2023, 2024

• Games [tot]: 59

• Goals [tot]: 2

• Disposals [avg]: 11.4

• Marks [avg]: 3

• Tackles [avg]: 1.6

• Cont. Poss: 5.5

• Uncont. Poss: 4.9

• Clearances: 0.2

• Inside 50s: 0.4

• Rebound 50s: 2.3

One of the great stories of perseverance at AFL Women’s level, Meg McDonald has shown what determination and willpower can do in regards to getting a second chance. Initially picked up as a free agent to the Western Bulldogs back in 2016 for the inaugural 2017 AFLW season, McDonald only managed the four games before being delisted. She went back to work on her craft throughout the 2018 season after missing out on getting on a list, and was offered a spot on Geelong AFLW foundation squad. She grabbed that opportunity with both hands and has never looked back playing all 25 games in the past three seasons, and rising from squad member to captain following the retirement of Melissa Hickey.

McDonald won the Cats’ 2019 best and fairest in her first season in the blue and white hoops, averaging 15.8 disposals, 2.6 marks and 4.3 rebound 50s, finding her spot in defence having played up the other end for the Bulldogs. She has maintained that form over the past three season, with her 2021 form particularly impressive, with another 14.6 disposals, 3.1 marks and 3.0 rebound 50s, leading from the front, which is ironically at the back. A fierce competitor who gives her all each and every week, the tall defender can play any role given to her and is a coach’s dream.

In terms of where she ranked on the eight AFLW Countdown lists, she feature on six of them, mostly between the 30-45 range, resulting in her landing at 37th on this list.

DRAFT CENTRAL’S 2022 AFL WOMEN’S TOP 50

#50 Ash Brazill(Collingwood) | ARTICLE
#49 Tayla Harris (Melbourne) | ARTICLE
#48 Courtney Hodder (Brisbane) | ARTICLE
#47 Eden Zanker (Melbourne) | ARTICLE
#46 Kirsty Lamb (Western Bulldogs) | ARTICLE
#45 Tyanna Smith (St Kilda) | ARTICLE
#44 Breanna Koenen (Brisbane) | ARTICLE
#43 Dana Hooker (West Coast) | ARTICLE
#42 Georgie Prespakis (Geelong) | ARTICLE
#41 Breann Moody (Carlton) | ARTICLE
#40 Hayley Miller (Fremantle) | ARTICLE
#39 Emma King (North Melbourne) | ARTICLE
#38 Dakota Davidson (Brisbane) | ARTICLE
#37 Meg McDonald (Geelong)

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Picture credit: C

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