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 | 22 April 1993 | ||
| 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 | |||
|
|||
Anthony 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.
Early Life and Football Journey
Anthony Tipungwuti was born on the Tiwi Islands. These islands are off the coast of Darwin. He grew up on Melville Island. As a young player, he played for the Tiwi Bombers. This team is part of the Northern Territory Football League. He also played for the Northern Territory's Under 18 team. He did this in both 2011 and 2012.
In 2011, Anthony moved to Victoria. He was 17 years old at the time. He wanted to improve his chances of playing in the AFL. When he moved, he could not read or write. He also spoke only a little English. Jane McDonald in Gippsland adopted him. He took her last name to show how much she helped him. He became the youngest brother in her family. Anthony went to Chairo Christian School in Drouin. There, he learned to speak English.
He spent six years playing football before joining the AFL. He played for Gippsland Power in the TAC Cup. He also played for Essendon's reserve team in the VFL. In late 2015, his dream came true. Essendon added him to their rookie list.
AFL Career Highlights
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti joined Essendon's main team in 2016. This happened because some other players were unavailable. He played his first AFL game in Round 1 of the 2016 season. This game was against the Gold Coast Suns. He kept his spot in the team for many years.
In July 2020, he set a new record for Essendon. He played the most consecutive AFL games for the club. His streak reached 126 games. It ended in 2021 when he took a break for personal reasons.
Anthony was a very consistent player. He finished in the top 10 for the Crichton Medal every season. This award is for Essendon's best and fairest player. He was 5th in 2018. He was also Essendon's top goalkicker in the 2020 season. He kicked 19 goals that year.
McDonald-Tipungwuti first announced his retirement in May 2022. However, he changed his mind in November 2022. He played again in 2023. After that season, he announced his retirement for good. His last game was on 25 August 2023.
Images for kids
-
McDonald-Tipungwuti playing in June 2017
