McDONALD-TIPUNGWUTI, Anthony

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was drafted by Essendon with their second selection in the 2015 Rookie Draft. He had played with Essendon's VFL team for several years.

Following the many suspensions handed out to Essendon players at the end of 2015 for the Supplements controversy fallout, McDonald-Tipungwuti was elevated to the Bombers' senior list. He made his AFL debut in round 1 of the 2016 Season against the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium and he retained his position in the team until his retirement. He also won the Lindsay Griffiths Rising Star Award as Essendon best first year player.

He became an instant favourite with supporters, particularly due to his run-down tackles. This element of his game won him Essendon's Best Defensive Player award in 2017.

In July 2020, he broke the record for most consecutive AFL games for Essendon in the AFL era. His streak ended at 126 games when he decided not to play in round 22, 2021, for personal reasons.

McDonald-Tipungwuti has finished in the top 10 for the Crichton Medal,  Essendon's Best-and-Fairest award, each season of his career—5th in 2018; 7th in 2016, 2017, and 2020; 8th in 2019; and 10th in 2021 despite not playing in the Club's final three games. He was also Essendon’s Leading Goal kicker in the shortened 2020 Season (due to the Covid-19 pandemic)  with 19 goals.

He announced his retirement on 20 May 2022; however, he revoked the announcement on 10 November 2022. After a comeback season in 2023, he announced his retirement for good on 24 August 2023, playing his last game, a loss against Collingwood, the following day.

After his retirement, McDonald-Tipungwuti played four games with the Tiwi Bombers before moving to Mildura in November 2023 where he started a new role working with the local hospital to visit schools and conduct footy clinics with a focus on children's wellbeing. He also played for the Imperials in the Sunraysia League, helping them win the 2024 premiership.

Draft history:  #22 (2015 Rookie Draft).