Retired #43: Anthony "Walla" McDonald-Tipungwuti - Wins a flag with the Mildura Imperials

[Lore]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2023
My Boy Draft 2023: Pick 5, citizen-erased

 

[djrasta213]

Sorry to intrude, but I really enjoy watching this man play and found that read inspiring. His contribution to this game is next level.

 

[Old Campaigner]

**** me what a life he's had.

 

[TheGrizz]

The man is one of the few guys that can get me out of my chair screaming like a 10 year old again, and I love him (as much as you can a stranger you have never met from afar) for it.

 

[Fraser67]

sorry for the intrusion guys, just wanted to say how moved i was to read Walla's story. What an amazing guy he is (and his mum). kudos to your great club for giving him a chance to change his life. i wish nothing but positive things happen to him for the rest of his life. and yes, i wanna give him a hug too and have something in my corner of my eyes. cheers

 

[This Is Anfield]

Reading the article now... speechless!
Supporters, of all clubs. sometimes forget that real people play this game and have varied back stories, this is one of the most harrowing.
Really hope that Anthony has a ripping 2020, except against the Tiges, and continues to grow as a person.
Jane McDonald is a Saint!

 

[jmoo wan]

Really hope that Anthony has a ripping 2020, except against the Tiges, and continues to grow as a person.
Jane McDonald is a Saint!

oh wow- you wish this for the dreamtime game? indigenous round is hard enough for him as it is - did you even read the article?

 

[This Is Anfield]

oh wow- you wish this for the dreamtime game? indigenous round is hard enough for him as it is - did you even read the article?

Mate, please don't try to read into it something that's not there!!

 

[brain taylor]

oh wow- you wish this for the dreamtime game? indigenous round is hard enough for him as it is - did you even read the article?

Would you barrack for the opposition?

 

[jmoo wan]

Would you barrack for the opposition?

yes. but i’m a better person than most.

 

[lysp]

Mods, can those walla posts be moved into their own individual post?

I think it's important and worthwhile to have them where they can easily be found and read and not lost in the middle of this post.

 

[mxett]

What an amazing man ATM is, and an amazing and caring woman Jane is. Inspirational

 

[Bjchan13]

Yeah Walla! Best is yet to come

 

[Yoda_]

Words cannot begin to express my gratitude to both Tippa and Jane for sharing this. We all thought we knew his story, turns out we didn't know half of it.

Makes him even more impressive as both a person and his story to become a professional footballer. Incredible, simply incredible. Makes me even more proud of him that he is one of our own

 

[Yoda_]

Shout out to Brickyboy for posting that for all and sundry to read. Thank you on behalf of everyone who has/is reading this

 

[Brickyboy]

I'll put my hand up and say I feel like a huge prick for questioning him before he re-signed this year, when there was talk of him going to the dogs for more coin. Never knew how deep the decision went.

It's clear Jane just wants the best for him and this gives so much more context behind the decision. So, so proud to have him here.

 

[Sterge]

What a brilliant read and to have someone who had obviously struggled in his life open up like that.
To now know what he went through and how people reacted to his bad games puts things in perspective.
These are the types of stories that should be on the main board as all afl fans should read this story and reflect on it imo.

 

[Bombermania]

It shows an insight to the problems facing the indigenous community and it was clear from Walla's body language that he wasn't enjoying indigenous round which is understandable with that historical baggage.

 

[VelvetSledge]

Bloody hell. What a read.

What an incredible bloke and story. Jane McDonald is just a wonderful person, and she's given us this man.

What a privilege it is to have him at our club.

 

[faible]

A really wonderful outcome from a start that many people would never have made it through. Really hope he has a positive impact on others having tough times from sharing his story.

 

[Unfazed]

It shows an insight to the problems facing the indigenous community and it was clear from Walla's body language that he wasn't enjoying indigenous round which is understandable with that historical baggage.

Agreed. I thought he played badly because he had too much pressure placed on him as the face of the indigenous round. Now I see how wrong I was. There were so many more emotions at play for him.

 

[ZabsBlues]

Great read, Walla is an inspiration for what he has achieved and where he has come from. Also his mom Jane What a great person she is. Had tears in my eyes reading that. Good on you Essendon for giving this man a chance to show his skills on the field, but more importantly to give him a voice to help others.

 

[Stopher]

It's so inconsiderate for someone to be cutting onions in the room when you're trying to read!

Bloody hell, that was intense.

 

[Runk]

No words.

 

[DapperDon]

 

[Vander18]

Always assumed there was a really significant back story here....but this is incredible.

Will print out and make Little Vander read it....if this doesn’t help a ten year old appreciate how lucky he is then nothing will.

There is a movie in this story. The Oz version of the Blindside!