WIMMERA sport stars, teams and organisations continued to excel at local, state, national and international level in 2014. As the year comes to a close, Wimmera Mail-Times sports journalist COLIN MacGILLIVRAY takes a look back at the outstanding performers. The Mail-Times has ranked the top 20 performers of the year and will publish a countdown of these stars, culminating in the naming of the top performer in the new year. In today’s edition, we look at two of the Wimmera’s top golfers and a very talented sporting family.
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EDENHOPE’S McDonald family could definitely stake a claim as the most talented sporting family in the Wimmera.
Whether it was at regional or national level, it seemed the McDonalds could not do anything but excel.
Tom McDonald had a big few weeks in the middle of the year.
The Melbourne footballer racked up his 50th AFL gameagainst Collingwood in June and inked a two-year contract extension in July that will keep him at the Demons until the end of 2016.
He also established himself as a regular in new coach Paul Roos’ system, playing 21 of a possible 22 games.
Not to be outdone, younger brother Oscar had just as big a year.
He was named co-captain of the TAC Cup’s North Ballarat Roosters and put in a great season.
Pre-draft buzz around the 18-year-old was well warranted, and he was selected by Melbourne with pick 53 in last month’s national draft to join brother Tom.
It was the same pick the Demons used to draft Tom in the 2010 national draft.
Still, the McDonalds weren’t done.
Tom and Oscar’s sister Sacha got in on the act when she won a silver medal as part of the Victorian 15 and under netball team at the School Sport Australia national championships in July.
She was also part of Victoria’s four-girls under-13 team at the Foundation Cup Interstate Challenge along with fellow Wimmera player Steffi McDonald. The pair are not related.
Sacha represented Horsham District Football Netball League in the under-15 interleague game against Heathcote.
Horsham’s big 63-17 win was masterminded by another member of the McDonald family – mother Cath.
