Matt Donovan (born 20 September 1970) is an Australian
rugby league footballer who plays for the
Coffs Harbour Comets in the
Group 2 Rugby League competition. He is nicknamed ''Mister Magic''.
Playing career
A utility back, Donovan first played for the
Macksville Sea Eagles in the
Group 2 Rugby League competition and was part of the side that won the premiership in 1991.
He then spent time in the
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia and contributor to today's National Rugby League. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League (initially named the New Sout ...
, playing for the
Gold Coast Seagulls in 1992 and the
Penrith Panthers in 1993.
Donovan then returned to the
Group 2 Rugby League competition and became a star. Donovan has played for both the
Orara Valley Axemen
Group 2 is a rugby league competition on the north coast of New South Wales Since 1966, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The Group 2 area runs from Grafton in the north to Macksville in the south. Group 2 teams played for man ...
and the
Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour is a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. It is one of the largest urban centres on the North Coast, with a population of 78,759 as per 2021 census. The Gumbaynggirr ...
club. In 1997, with Orara Valley, he won the Premier League in overtime with five attempts at the Advocate Park.
In 2008 with the same club he won another title under the leadership of Darryl Fischer. He later moved to Coffs Harbor Comets, reaching the 2010 final and losing to Port Macquarie.
In 2012, Donovan left the club from Coffs Harbor to join Bellingen Valley / Dorrigo Magpies, although it was rumored that he would retire after leaving Comets.
He has repeatedly said that he will end his career in the team from Mackville. Since 2015, he has been an assistant to Gavin Hanna, President of the Woolgulga Seahorses of the Group 2 Rugby League.
Donovan was named in both the 1990s and 2000s Group 2 Rugby League "team of the decade" and is regarded as one of the 'top five' from the centenary of the game in Group 2.
Group 2 'team of decade'
''The Coffs Coast Advocate'', 9 October 2009
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donovan, Matthew
1970 births
Living people
Indigenous Australian rugby league players
Australian rugby league players
Gold Coast Chargers players
Penrith Panthers players
Rugby league centres
Rugby league five-eighths
Rugby league fullbacks
Rugby league players from New South Wales
Rugby league wingers