STRENGTHS:

+ Kicking
+ Reading the play
+ Intercepting
+ Aerial ability
+ Rate of development
+ Composure

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Endurance
- Contested marking

McDonald might have played up forward at different points, but has really locked down her tall defensive spot over the last two seasons, and it is where she looks the most comfortable and natural. Competitive in the air and a really capable reader of the play, McDonald uses the ball effectively more often than not, and her rate of development over the last 24 months has been very good.

While McDonald was identified as one to watch for the future from the Top End, the Northern Territory talent became more influential in her top-age season which followed on from the two-game Allies stint last year. Clearly a standout for the Northern Territory at Coates Talent League Girls level, McDonald plays her role to a t.

With ball in hand, her kicking is technically sound and her composure with ball-in-hand also works well. From an execution result point of view, her decision making at times could be improved, but most of the time she runs at a fairly high efficiency. McDonald was tasked with a lot of kickouts for the Allies due to both the fluency and length of her kicks from deep in defence, with her capability to spot an option there as well.

Without the ball, McDonald reads the play exceptionally well, and is able to position herself in readiness to intercept. While her biggest improvement footballing wise is her contested marking, she does have good hands when under less pressure, and able to get into teh right spots to bring the ball to ground is very good. A marker more so than a spoiler, McDonald backs herself to take the grab, she is just far more efficient without the additional body contact.

That improvement goes hand-in-hand with a greater focus needed on her endurance, as McDonald will need to build up her tank to compete at the top level. The way she plays deep in defence, having a higher endurance base is not as important, but to match it at the elite grade, she will need to put the work in, particularly against quality and gut-running forwards who would look to work her over.

Going forward, McDonald has the potential to further improve not just in those areas, but in her all-round game, with that decision making to also come with greater exposure to a higher level of football. She did not look out of her depth with the Allies at all and really further staked her claim to earn a chance in the AFL Women's.