The Kangaroos are set to gain three new recruits on Thursday night, a year after McDonald was taken as a father-son selection.
“I think the first few weeks you’ve just got to enjoy it and absorb as much as you can, because you are running around with guys like Brent Harvey and Daniel Wells,” he told NMFC.com.au.
“It’s amazing because you’ve wanted to do that all your life.
“Just really enjoy it. Get as much out of it as you can in the first weeks; ask as many questions as you can and get around the young boys especially, because they are the ones you are going to go through your career with.
“I’m looking forward to seeing who we get and looking forward to playing a role with them in the coming years.”
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While there are no guarantees when it comes to the draft, McDonald did enough this year to suggest he’ll enjoy a long and successful career in the royal blue and white.
“Playing the games that I did and playing the finals I did, I definitely feel part of the team now.
“Coming in last year I just really wanted to get respect off the guys. I feel like I’ve got a bit, but I’ve still got a long way to go before I’m really happy with the amount of respect I’ve got.”
With 23 games in his debut season, the defender gained praise for his fearless approach in the contest. More time in the gym will only increase his confidence.
“Last year I was trying to put a lot of weight on, and I suppose I’m doing the same this year. Not too much has changed, but I’m working more this year on my skills and bringing that to the game next year.”
After standing up to the rigours of September, McDonald is keen for more.
“Those three finals were unbelievable. The first two wins I was jumping for joy. It was just unbelievable,” he added.
“As a fan growing up we didn’t play in too many finals and to play in three in my first year - I couldn’t ask for much more.
“To play in the two winning ones, you could just feel the group get so much closer after that, and it was just an awesome experience.”
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