Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
McDonald-Tipungwuti playing in June 2017
Personal information
Full name	Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
Nickname(s)	Walla, Tippa
Date of birth	(1993-04-22) 22 April 1993 (age 32)
Place of birth	Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory
Original team	Tiwi Bombers (NTFL) Gippsland Power (TAC Cup) Essendon reserves (VFL)
Draft	No. 22, 2015 rookie draft
Position(s)	Forward
Career highlights
Essendon leading goalkicker: 2020

Anthony William Watson McDonald-Tipungwuti (born 22 April 1993) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Essendon chose him in the 2015 rookie draft. He was known for his speed and exciting style of play.

Early Life and Football Journey

Growing Up on the Tiwi Islands

Anthony Tipungwuti was born on the Tiwi Islands. These islands are off the coast of Darwin. He grew up on Melville Island. Anthony comes from an Indigenous Australian family. He started playing junior football for the Tiwi Bombers. This team is part of the Northern Territory Football League. He also played for the Northern Territory team. He represented them in the Under 18 National Championships in 2011 and 2012.

Moving to Victoria for a Dream

In 2011, when Anthony was 17, he moved to Victoria. He wanted to improve his chances of playing in the AFL. At that time, he could not read or write well. He also spoke only a little English. Jane McDonald in Gippsland adopted him. He took her last name to show his thanks for her help. He became the youngest brother in her family.

Anthony went to Chairo Christian School in Drouin. There, he learned to speak English better. He spent six years playing football for two teams. He played for the Gippsland Power in the TAC Cup. He also played for Essendon's reserve team in the VFL. His dream came true when Essendon added him to their rookie list in late 2015.

AFL Career Highlights

Starting His AFL Journey

Many Essendon players were suspended in late 2015. This was due to the supplements controversy. Because of this, McDonald-Tipungwuti was moved to the main Essendon team. He played his first AFL game in Round 1 of the 2016 season. This game was against the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium. He kept his spot in the team for many years.

Breaking Records and Personal Challenges

In July 2020, he set a new record for Essendon. He played the most consecutive AFL games for the club in the AFL era. His amazing streak ended at 126 games. He chose not to play in Round 22 of the 2021 season for personal reasons.

McDonald-Tipungwuti often finished in the top 10 for the Crichton Medal. This award is for Essendon's best and fairest player. He was 5th in 2018, 7th in 2016, 2017, and 2020. He was 8th in 2019 and 10th in 2021. He was also Essendon’s top goalkicker in the shorter 2020 season. He kicked 19 goals that year.

Retirement and Comeback

McDonald-Tipungwuti first announced he was retiring on May 20, 2022. However, he changed his mind on November 10, 2022. He made a comeback in the 2023 season. After that season, he announced his retirement for good on August 24, 2023. His very last game was a loss against Collingwood the next day.

Career Statistics

Here are Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti's career statistics up to the end of the 2023 season.