McCarthy Homes Senior Coaching Announcement - Anthony McDonald new QAFL Senior Coach

The Sherwood Football Club Board of Directors wish to announce the appointment of Anthony McDonald as the QAFL Senior Coach for season 2020.

Anthony is a Level 2 qualified coach with a long history of involvement in football as a player, coach and administrator including a previous stint at the Magpies as Club Development Manager.  It was an exhaustive process with the club speaking to 13 applicants, all who brought strong and varied attributes to the table.

After an initial round of discussions and interviews, the club identified the key requirements of the role, some non-negotiable attributes and the style of coach to take the club forward in 2020 and beyond.  All applicants were then re-assessed against this criteria which then narrowed the field to four very strong candidates.

Based on this assessment and subsequent interviews and discussions, it was clear that all of the candidates would make exceptional senior coaches at QAFL level however Anthony was a clear leader with his commitment to a consultative process, empowerment of a high calibre group of Assistant Coaches and Development Coaches and his proven ability to manage stakeholders at all levels and build strong relationships throughout the playing group and broader club.

From a football perspective, Anthony has extensive experience as a player and coach dating back this time at Salesian College in Sunbury, Port Melbourne (VFA/VFL) before football took him around the country with stints in Yepoon (QLD), Sutherland Sharks (NSW), Robe (SA), North Adelaide (SANFL), Nightcliff (NTFL), Strathpine (BAFL) and then again back to the Wide Bay Capricornia region where he was involved in several clubs as a player, coach and administrator as well as being the AFL QLD Regional Manager.  He was also the Club Development Manager at the Magpies from 2008-2010 and coached the Reserves in 2011 and maintained involvement at the club until 2013.  Since then, he has focused his time on junior representative coaching and developing his business Time Technology where he facilitates programs on time management, leadership and productivity including facilitating programs at the AFL Coaches Association National Conference and other leadership, culture and development conferences.

Joining Anthony on the Senior Coaching panel are the following two new appointees and returning coaches.

Alex Mitchell:  Alex was a local junior to the Western Suburbs, commencing his career at Kenmore Bears in the 1990s.  His playing career then took him to Morningside in the QAFL/NEAFL and to Victoria where he played in the VFL with Williamstown and was part of the Collingwood development program and he was also a member of the Essendon development squad as a draft prospect before spending time in the WRFL and subsequently returning to  Morningside where he played NEAFL/QAFL until 2019 and played in the QAFL State side in 2018.  He also had a stint as an Assistant Coach at Kenmore in 2012 when they achieved their highest ever Division 1 finish, and in discussions with several players who played with him – Alex is an astute football brain and a keen thinker on the game, who routinely took the time to assist with the development and guidance of younger players.  

Brett Connell: Brett was relatively late to Australian Rules Football, taking up the game as a Rugby League convert at the age of 16 where he commenced with Morningside, played for South East Bushrangers before graduating to Senior football in the QAFL and NEAFL with a Reserves Best & Fairest on the way up in 2006.  He played in a QAFL Senior Premiership in 2009 and missed out on going back to back in 2010 ironically after tearing an MCL vs the Magpies in a game in Toowoomba.  He was also the QLD State U21 Co-Captain with Dayne Zorko in 2009. A school teacher by trade, he then relocated to Canada where he played in 2 Premierships in the Ontario League and unsurprisingly was in the Ontario League team of the year in both 2011 and 2012! He coached a Premiership in Canada in 2015 and was awarded coach of the year before dipping his toe in the water in 2017 as an assistant coach at Coorparoo Kings.  Brett has Magpie blood in his veins though, having been a ball boy for the Souths Magpies in the QRL where his father had an extensive and by all reports legendary playing career.

Both Brett and Alex will also be pulling on the boots for the Magpies in 2019 and will hope to add to their QAFL Senior Games tally at their new home.

Joining Alex and Brett will be returning coaches David Hamill and Cory Hopkins, both local juniors who will also be Seniors Assistants along with former Brisbane Lion, Justin Clarke who will be the Development Coach.  David was the 2019 Russell Green Memorial Trophy winner for Magpies Coach of the Year and he is a key ingredient in the coaching setup at the club where he has played in 2 x Senior Premierships.  Cory started and finished his football journey at the Magpies which also took him through the NEAFL ranks at Redland, down to the SANFL with Woodville West-Torrens and eventually back to the Magpies again via Redland.  Justin Clarke hails from Booleroo in northern South Australia before he played just 1 SANFL Reserves game before the Brisbane Lions picked him up in the 2012 rookie draft.  Ongoing concussion symptoms unfortunately cut an incredibly promising 56 game AFL career short just 3 years later and he joined the Magpies as a Development Coach and Assistant Coach in 2018 where he has been instrumental in the development of the clubs young playing list.

Alister Mitchell will also be reprising his role as Club Welfare and Personal Development Manager, where he is looking after player/coach/volunteer well-being, mental health, performance coaching and program facilitation.

Alistair is on call for all our players and coaches 24/7 to chat about any issues, struggles or anxieties they might be experiencing and will attend the club each month to visit training and speak with players and coaches in addition to attending the club 3 times during the year to facilitate very specific programs and presentations.

Further coaching appointments will be announced in coming weeks, but we welcome Anthony McDonald back to the club as Senior Coach and also welcome Alex, Brett, David, Cory and Justin in their roles for season 2020.