A father-son selection at pick 8 in the 2013 national draft — his father Donald played for the Kangaroos — McDonald played 23 senior matches in his first season and became a fixture at half-back. He swept the club awards in 2020, winning his first Syd Barker Medal, and served as co-captain in 2023 and 2024. He has played 236 AFL games and kicked 19 goals.