Consistent performances for Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League, earnt McDonald a full international call up against Bahrain, after representing Australia at all three previous international levels. This included captaining the Under 20 team at the World Youth Championships in the UAE. Burst onto the Australian scene as a 16-year-old with Eastern pride in the old National League and played a leading role in the Under 17 team that went all the way to the final at the 1999 Under 17 World Championships. Was snapped up English side Southampton and despite being a regular goal scorer for the reserve team never quite made it to the first team and was loaned out to several lower league clubs. After 2003 World Youth Cup, moved to Motherwell, where he became a first team regular and consistent goalscorer. Had a reputation as a real goalpoacher and after several seasons, where he finished high on the goalscoring charts, was snapped up by his former manager at Southampton Gordon Strachan at Scottish giants Celtic; a dream move to the club he supported as a boy. In 2010, he then followed Strachan to Middlesbrough.