McDonald has been the New Zealand rugby league team's physio for a year - and he revelled in the Kiwis' shock 34-20 win against Australia in the Rugby League World Cup final.
When the Otago Daily Times tracked him down yesterday, he was on a bus with the Kiwis heading for Brisbane Airport.
The laughter behind him was raucous, as McDonald said most of the squad had been up all night celebrating.
"We've had a few drinks. I even had a little bit of kava at one stage," McDonald, who is also employed by the Highlanders, said.
"Mate, it's just been fantastic. Everyone's worked so hard to get us to this moment. I've never experienced anything like this before."
McDonald said the players, most of whom were 25 or younger, deserved credit for their upset win.
But he reserved special praise for rookie coach Stephen Kearney and his counsel, Australian Wayne Bennett.
"The coaching staff have just been unbelievable.
"Stephen Kearney works so hard and leaves no stone unturned. He's worked himself until he's shattered and come up with a brilliant game plan.
"Wayne Bennett . . . you can't explain the influence he's had on the team. He pops up just when he's needed and he's built an amazing atmosphere. You can see Wayne has played a huge role in building belief in the team.
"Man for man, the Australians are better than us. No doubt about that. What Wayne did was quietly convince all our guys that they could beat Australia.
"Wayne's been brutally honest with the boys about what they had to do to win."
The players and management did not touch alcohol for six weeks leading up to and during the tournament. It was a far cry from his first trip away with the Kiwis last year, when all the headlines were about drinking games and the loose direction of struggling coach Gary Kemble.
"None of us wanted to bag anyone last year but you had coaches put in a position they shouldn't have been put in," McDonald said. "This year we had professional coaches looking after professional athletes. We were all about business."
McDonald succeeded where fellow Dunedin physiotherapist Pete Gallagher failed. Gallagher has been with the All Blacks for four years and was there for the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal loss in Cardiff last year.
"I actually got a text from Pete congratulating us, which was really nice."
