Luke McDonald bleeds royal blue and white.
From father-son selection to Syd Barker Medallist to co-captain of the club he once only dreamed of playing for, it's been a remarkable career so far for North Melbourne's No.11.
Before he runs out for the 200th time as a Roo, NMFC Media has taken a look back at McDonald's career through photos.
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1. Drafted
Taken with the eighth selection in the 2013 AFL Draft, McDonald joined the club as a father-son selection, following in the footsteps of his dad Donald who played 155 games for the Roos.
2. AFL debut
It didn't take long for McDonald to get his first taste of AFL, having made his first appearance for the club in the opening round of the 2014 season. The youngster picked up 14 touches as his side went down to Essendon at the then-named Etihad Stadium.
3. First final
McDonald picked up 11 touches in his first final as the Roos trumped the Bombers by 12 points in a thrilling 2014 knockout clash.
4. First goal
In as a late inclusion for the injured Robbie Tarrant, McDonald left his stamp on the 2015 semi-final win over Sydney with his first ever League major.
5. A crucial tackle on Cyril
It may have caused an abrupt end to his 50th game, but McDonald's chase on Hawthorn's Cyril Rioli in 2016 epitomised what it means to be a Shinboner. The young defender produced a brilliant rundown effort to prevent the Hawks star from slotting what looked to be an easy major, but snapped his hamstring tendon in the process.
6. Back-to-back sealers
While he's not renowned for his goalkicking, in Rounds 9 and 10 of the 2017 season 'LMac' put the nail in the coffins against Melbourne and Carlton. It was a quick left-foot snap at the MCG that secured a 14-point win over the Demons, and a bomb from the 50-metre arc against the Blues (pictured) a week later that helped the Roos win two on the trot.
7. The turning point
McDonald went down with an ankle injury in the Round 17 clash against Essendon in 2019, ruling him out for the rest of the season. However, there was a silver lining; the injury providing him the chance to reflect on his first six seasons as a Kangaroo.
"I just hadn't gotten to the levels that I knew that I could get to, so it was a good opportunity to sharpen up a lot of areas in my life and to become a better teammate and leader around the footy club," he told NMFC Media prior to his 150th AFL game in 2022.
8. Club Champion
The father-son Kangaroo dominated the voting in the 2020 Syd Barker Medal count, capping off a career-best season which included a personal-best 35 disposals against Adelaide in Round 9. To go along with his maiden best and fairest award, he also took home the Shinboner of the Year and Harold Henderson Best Clubman awards.
9. Defensive masterclass
Round 1, 2022 is a perfect encapsulation of the type of commitment McDonald regularly brings in a Kangas guernsey. Despite the result getting away from North Melbourne, the co-vice-captain at the time put on a defensive spectacle with a career-high 13 intercepts, 12 marks (four contested), seven rebound 50s, five spoils and 27 disposals while going at 88.9 per cent efficiency.
10. Chosen as co-captain
Reflecting the admiration his teammates have for him, McDonald was voted in as a co-captain alongside Jy Simpkin to replace the retiring Jack Ziebell prior to the 2023 campaign.
11. First win as co-captain
His pure passion was on show when the final siren went in Round 1, 2023 as the Roos secured their first win with himself and Simpkin leading the charge.
