Wayne MCDONALD [
Player Stats]
Reader Submission ProfileGiant Prop Wayne McDonald is the biggest name in World Rugby League literally Standing over 200cms tall and weighing in at around 120kgs only being out weighed by 189cm 135kg bradford prop Joe Vagana.
The "Tall Man" McDonald is by far the tallest player in world rugby league and would even give even the tallest rugby union 2nd rowers a run for their money at the title in their game but thats not his only claim to fame.
Wayne has the strange honour of playing for three different clubs in the same season,Leeds,Wigan and the club which seems to suit him best,the Giants.
Wayne is a tough and intimidating Front rower not afraid to throw a punch and has seen his share of red and yellow cards but also is a player with alot of skill and plenty of speed,this is proved by a try he scored in the 2003 season against his old club st.helens when he took the ball off the kick off,threw a dummy that fooled darren albert and ran 85metres to score the match winner.
Keep your eye out for him in the super league. He partners two other monsters in the Giants pack,198cm 117kg prop erol crabtree and 199cm 115kg prop Jon Grayshon but dont worry even packing down with them he stands out.
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Mon August 10, 2009
by Phil Caplan
Three years after retiring from professional rugby league, Wayne McDonald is back in the game.
The former Leeds Rhinos, St Helens, Hull and Wakefield prop is one of the driving forces behind Emirates National Rugby League (ENRL), which was inaugurated at its first AGM last week.
"It's a very different role than I'm used to, one that involves more than just putting on my boots" he said from Dubai.
"Its hugely challenging trying to bring a brand new sport to what is, in essence, a very new country - but I'm enjoying every minute of it,"
Although it is quite a change from his Super League days, McDonald, 33, is just as keen about the sport that made him Scotland captain in 2003.
"It's still my passion. It's always been everything and if me being involved helps rugby league out then great, because it's what I've always done," he continued.
"When you have played this great game for more than 14 years it becomes your life and that doesn't change because you retire. I still get the same nerves today when I play an amateur game as I did when walking out for a big Super League match."
ENRL was started in early 2008 by Lebanese expat Sol Mokdad who put together the UAE Falcons team but the sport did not get fully off the ground until a few months ago when a number of others, including Wayne, came on board to build the foundations.
The organisation has now put a structure in place to help the UAE reach the 2013 World Cup qualifiers, which are due to start in 2011.
Building a sport from scratch is never easy and with Rugby League in the Emirates unfamiliar, the task that lies ahead is even harder. Yet, McDonald is confident the enthusiasm is there.
"There is no questioning the dedication; with a minimum of 40 players turning out each week to train in temperatures exceeding 45C. It's easy to see the team's hunger for success" he noted.
"Our immediate focus needs to be on attracting more guys down to training but we understand it will take time for word to spread that the team even exists."
ENRL currently has four qualified coaches, with one at professional level, working to fast track players to get them up to speed. Some have come over from union while others have never played the sport before yet it is a true representation of the population from Dubai with Emirati, Lebanese, British, Australian and New Zealand nationals involved.
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little frustrating at times playing with beginners but on the flip side its very rewarding when you pull the guys aside explain a certain drill and watch them implement it," he says.
The Leeds-born star moved to Dubai in 2006 shortly after his stint with the Huddersfield Giants had finished. Although a knee injury caused him to be sidelined for much of the latter half of that season, he had a number of offers to play on but decided the time was right to bow out and start a new life in the desert with his girlfriend, Amy.
"In any professional team you have those who go on to coach, those who will go on to commentate and those who have no choice but to take on something completely new. I needed some time out to do nothing for six months. That being said, I found it very difficult not having a routine for the first time in 14 years."
After taking a few months off, Wayne set up Dubai Rugby Academy (DRA), in which he coaches school children from a grass roots level. It is implemented across 10 schools in Dubai and will move into Abu Dhabi when the next school year starts.
Now that the 13-man game is up and running he plans to integrate League into DRA as part of his role as Youth Development Director of Emirates NRL.
"It's fantastic for me because it's going back to my roots and all credit to Sol because he has surrounded himself with people who can make ENRL happen. He had a dream and is now making it a reality."
But McDonald is not the only ex-professional in Dubai. Apollo Perelini is head of sport at a local private school and Wayne is keen to get him on board.
"I'm trying to entice him. How great would it be to have both of in the pack," he enthused.
McDonald joined the team last year when Lancashire amateur side Saddleworth Rangers travelled to Dubai to play the UAE Falcons. The team also played Lebanese representative side Libon Espoir and although they all ended in heavy defeats, this year the tables turned when the Falcons beat Espoir twice in four days.
They lost again to Saddleworth but the development was clear for all to see and it's a fixture they want to maintain, hopefully next year in England.
The domestic ERL is now building on these foundations and forming a four-team competition this autumn, which will meet the first of the Rugby League International Federation's criteria to achieve 'official observe' status.
But what are their realistic chances?
"Like any emerging nation, the team will compete but how far we go is another story. For now the taking part for us is what matters. Camaraderie plays a huge role in any team's success and we have that by the truckload," he continued.
"When I got the call up for Scotland it was still an emerging nation but last year they competed in the World Cup in Australia and won their first match at that level so anything is possible and I see absolutely no reason why that can't be us when the time is right."
But this is where one of ENRL's main problems lies. They do not yet have any sponsorship so even buying kit is difficult. They have borrowed it from union outfits Dubai Exiles and Dubai Hurricanes this year but building up finances is top of the board's agenda.
"Any sport needs backers. Where would Leeds Rhinos and Melbourne Storm be without their sponsors? We don't even have some of the basics but if we get local backers we'll be able to do so much more. We are homeless too so need a base to build an identity. People think there's lots of money floating around in Dubai but it's not like that," he explained.
The league is in talks with a potential sponsors and partners and are hoping to sign a number of deals within the next few weeks so that a 9s tournament can begin.
They also want a home so Super League clubs can hold winter coaching camps in Dubai, when the climate is perfect for warm weather training.
But in the meantime, McDonald has also got his hands full driving the Dubai Rugby Academy forward and identifying local talent to keep ENRL going for years to come.
"DNA is still under a wider sports network but I'd like to see it be a standalone company. I started it so I want to see it through and build both codes in Dubai."
Interview by Aimee Greaves
Emirates NRL Communications Manager
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 2006 engage English Super League
Huddersfield Giants
21 games; 1 tries, 4 points.
[View] Round 1 [12 Feb 06] L 12-20 v Leeds (A). [PR]
[View] Round 2 [19 Feb 06] W 26-20 v Warrington (H). [PR]
[View] Round 3 [24 Feb 06] L 20-36 v Wigan (A). [PR]
[View] Round 4 [04 Mar 06] W 18-16 v Wakefield (A). [BE]
[View] Round 5 [12 Mar 06] L 16-18 v St Helens (H). [BE]
[View] Round 6 [19 Mar 06] W 64-14 v Harlequins (H). [BE]
[View] Round 7 [26 Mar 06] W 36-22 v Castleford (A). [BE]
[View] Round 8 [07 Apr 06] L 18-36 v Salford City (A). [BE]
[View] Round 9 [14 Apr 06] L 18-26 v Hull FC (H). [BE]
[View] Round 13 [06 May 06] W 19-16 v St Helens (H). [BE]
[View] Round 14 [14 May 06] W 32-18 v Salford City (H). [BE]
[View] Round 15 [28 May 06] L 6-19 v Hull FC (A). [BE]
[View] Round 16 [11 Jun 06] W 42-34 v Les Catalans (H). [BE]
[View] Round 17 [18 Jun 06] L 14-32 v Castleford (A). [BE]
[View] Round 18 [23 Jun 06] L 16-42 v Bradford (A). [BE]
[View] Round 19 [02 Jul 06] L 14-36 v Leeds (H). [BE]
[View] Round 24 [13 Aug 06] L 12-26 v Hull FC (H). [BE]
[View] Round 25 [18 Aug 06] L 10-14 v Wigan (A). [BE]
[View] Round 26 [03 Sep 06] W 24-18 v Salford City (H). [BE]
[View] Round 27 [09 Sep 06] W 20-12 v Catalans (A). [BE]
[View] Round 28 [17 Sep 06] L 30-42 v Bradford (H). [BE] 4 Pts; 1t
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2005 English Super League
Huddersfield Giants
13 games; [View] Round 16 [07 Jun 05] L 22-24 v Warrington (H). [BE]
[View] Round 17 [11 Jun 05] L 20-38 v Bulls (H). [BE]
[View] Round 18 [19 Jun 05] W 40-22 v Wildcats (H). [BE]
[View] Round 19 [02 Jul 05] L 16-24 v Salford (A). [BE]
[View] Round 20 [10 Jul 05] W 32-22 v Leigh (H). [PR]
[View] Round 21 [16 Jul 05] L 24-34 v Hull (A). [PR]
[View] Round 22 [24 Jul 05] L 26-35 v London (A). [PR]
[View] Round 23 [07 Aug 05] W 44-12 v Wildcats (A). [PR]
[View] Round 24 [12 Aug 05] W 38-22 v Warrington (H). [PR]
[View] Round 25 [21 Aug 05] W 68-16 v Leigh (H). [PR]
[View] Round 26 [03 Sep 05] L 12-16 v London (A). [PR]
[View] Round 27 [11 Sep 05] L 34-52 v Bulls (A). [BE]
[View] Round 28 [18 Sep 05] L 22-36 v Wigan (H). [PR]
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2005 English Super League
Leeds Rhinos
6 games; [View] Round 2 [18 Feb 05] W 30-18 v St Helens (H). [BE]
[View] Round 3 [27 Feb 05] W 66-8 v Widnes (H). [BE]
[View] Round 4 [06 Mar 05] W 54-10 v Huddersfield (A). [BE]
[View] Round 5 [11 Mar 05] W 38-6 v Warrington (H). [BE]
[View] Round 6 [18 Mar 05] W 30-12 v Salford (A). [BE]
[View] Round 8 [28 Mar 05] L 28-44 v Wildcats (H). [PR]
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2005 English Super League
Wigan Warriors
4 games; [View] Round 11 [22 Apr 05] L 8-40 v Bulls (A). [BE]
[View] Round 12 [29 Apr 05] W 23-22 v Widnes (H). [BE]
[View] Round 13 [15 May 05] L 22-28 v Warrington (A). [BE]
[View] Round 14 [20 May 05] L 24-26 v Huddersfield (H). [BE]
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McDonald, Wayne
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