At the age of 35, James McDonald is about to complete one of the more remarkable comebacks to AFL football.

Delisted by Melbourne at the end of 2010, the former Demon captain spent a year playing amateur football for Old Xaverians in Melbourne before being drafted by the GIANTS last year.

Now he has almost completed his 14th pre season training campaign and says he can’t wait to resume his AFL career which will also include an assistant coaching role.

McDonald said this year’s pre season has been tough but he had been reinvigorated by an exciting young playing list and was raring to go.

“Training has been going really well, I haven’t missed a beat. I’ve had a year off to freshen me up so hopefully that puts me in good stead for the season,” he said.

“Obviously because we’re a new team coming up it’s been challenging. Working closely with Mark Williams has been great, I’ve learnt a lot from him and I’m just looking forward to when the season starts now.”

The 251 game AFL veteran said that he was impressed by a number of the youngsters that he has seen on the track in the last couple of months with the GIANTS including 2011 draftees and pre listed 17 year olds.

“Phil Davis has been pretty impressive. Some of the young draftees have been doing really well, guys like Stephen Coniglio and Dom Tyson.

“Some of the guys that were at the club last year have been running really well out of the midfield like Jacob Townsend and Anthony Miles.”

McDonald also shed some light on a new nickname, given to him by the GIANTS playing group.

“At my previous club my nickname was Junior so now that I’ve come here and I’m ten years older than any other player, Callan Ward and Sam Reid thought it would be funny to start calling me fossil. I’m pretty happy with it."

By Rebecca Mills