Geelong have revealed that Australia’s highly respected cricket coach, Andrew McDonald, has been appointed to their club’s board of directors.
In a statement on Thursday, Geelong said that McDonald had a long association with the club that dated back to 2016, and he had already built “a connection with Chris Scott”.
McDonald, 44, has been head coach of the Australian team across all formats since 2022.
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And he has overseen a golden period for Australian cricket, that has included a Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a maiden ICC World Test Championship, an Ashes victory in England, and a stunning ODI World Cup title in 2023.
“Based in Geelong, McDonald’s appointment has been endorsed by the club’s board, and he will commence in the role immediately,” Geelong said.
It’s a shot in the arm for the Cats who begin their finals campaign on Friday night when they take on the Brisbane Lions at the MCG.
Scott — who has a winning percentage of 70.49 (the best in the history of the competition for coaches with more than 100 games to their name) — is chasing a third premiership cup after winning flags in 2011 and 2022.
And according to the Cats, Scott, 49, and McDonald already “share ideas and information” as they strive for “professional growth”.
Geelong president Grant McCabe said McDonald was “a perfect fit to join our board”.
“He brings an outstanding skill set and global experience in overseeing and shaping high performance environments delivering exceptional results,” McCabe said.
“As a club we have a passion for the relentless pursuit of progress, and alongside our existing directors, Andrew’s perspective and expertise in performance will play an important role as we continue to evolve, grow and chase success.”
McDonald said he was excited to “accept the invitation”.
“The opportunity to work with, and contribute to, an organisation that seeks constant improvement in its performance across all facets is extremely motivating for me,” McDonald said.
“I have always had a real passion for AFL football. The game is dynamic on and off the field, and I’m looking forward to playing my role on the Board. To contribute to a club with such a proud history and strong values, with a commitment to continual growth, is a privilege.”
McDonald has more than 10 years of coaching experience in high-performance organisations, including seven years with Cricket Australia.
Prior to his role with the Australian team, McDonald coached Victoria to two Sheffield Shield titles in three seasons in charge, as well as leading the Renegades to its first BBL championship.
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