Fremantle have confirmed the signing of former Melbourne and Carlton defender Oscar McDonald on a two-year deal.
McDonald will join his third AFL club after being signed by the Dockers through the 2023 delisted free agency period, which opened on Wednesday morning.
The 27-year-old spent this year in the VFL with Williamstown, where he would help lead the Seagulls to a semi-final finish and earn a place in the competition's Team of the Year at full-back.
McDonald averaged 16.8 disposals and 8.1 marks per game for the standalone club across 20 appearances, having joined Williamstown alongside former Demons teammate Marty Hore for the 2023 season.
The key defender was delisted by Carlton at the end of last year following two seasons on the Blues' list, with McDonald managing five games under coaches David Teague and Michael Voss.
McDonald earned a second chance with Carlton as a Supplemental Selection Period signing two years ago, having been cut by Melbourn after 81 games and six years in the red and blue.
The Edenhope-Apsley junior has now earned a third chance in the AFL, with Fremantle confirming the acquisition of McDonald as a delisted free agent.
“He has a big, mature body (196cm and 100kg), was very good in one on one contests and is moving better than ever,” Fremantle list manager David Walls said in a club statement.
“Oscar played 20 VFL games in 2023, as well as practice matches, so is coming off a full season where he looked a level above the VFL competition.
“He gives us some coverage as a key back following Joel Hamling's move to Sydney as a delisted free agent.”
The Dockers' move for McDonald comes after the Cockburn club lost veteran defender Joel Hamling to Sydney via unrestricted free agency earlier this month.
The first window for delisted free agency will run until 5:00pm next Wednesday before opening again the following Friday for eight hours and again following the National Draft.
