Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Clyde Donaldson

Known as
Clyde Donaldson

Born
9 June 1894

Died
23 May 1979 (aged 84)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 18y 321d
Last game: 32y 115d

Height and weight
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 76 kg

Senior clubs
Essendon

Jumper numbers
Essendon: 3, 2

Family links
Eric Donaldson (Brother)

Clyde Donaldson

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
EssendonV/AFL1913-1914, 1919-1926144280.1954%0
Total1913-1914, 1919-1926144280.1954%0

AFL: 1,949th player to appear, 1,422nd most games played, 3,075th most goals kickedEssendon: 231st player to appear, 82nd most games played, 262nd most goals kicked

After making his VFL debut with Essendon in 1913, Clyde Donaldson's career had just begun to blossom when it was interrupted by four years abroad serving with the Australian Expeditionary Force. During that time he represented the Australian Training Units in an exhibition match in London.

Donaldson resumed with the Dons in 1919, and quickly established himself as one of the finest permanent back pocket players in the game. He had as much pace as the nippiest rover and this, coupled with his strength and aerial prowess, made him extraordinarily difficult to beat. He was also a thumping kick, characteristically tearing out of his back pocket to meet the ball at full tilt before propelling it back into Essendon's attacking zone.

A member of the Same Old's 1923 and 1924 premiership teams, Donaldson was also a regular Big V representative, earning state selection in every year between 1920 and 1923 and again in 1926. He retired at the end of the 1926 season after 144 VFL games.

Clyde Donaldson later became a renowned football correspondent for The Truth.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.