Western Bulldogs sign son of Australian cricket legend – and he could be nicknamed the ‘Son of Sod’

The Western Bulldogs are excited by what James O’Donnell can achieve in the AFL after the ‘well-put-together’ youngster signed with the club.

The son of former Australian cricketer Simon O’Donnell, James joined the Bulldogs for training at Braybrook on Friday after being secured as a category B rookie – the same rule that Geelong used to lure versatile star Mark Blicavs from athletics.

As well as being an ODI hero for Australia in the 1980s, Simon made 24 senior appearances for St Kilda in 1982 and 1983 as a cross-code athlete.

O’Donnell, 21, has been playing Victorian Premier Cricket for Essendon, but will try to make his mark at the same AFL club as another former cricketer.

Simon O’Donnell went from playing first-grade footy for St Kilda to stamping himself as one of Australia’s most exciting one-day international players in a fine career for his country

Bulldogs defender Alex Keath played six first-class matches for Victoria and five Big Bash League matches for the Melbourne Stars before switching to the AFL in 2016.

James could now be nicknamed the ‘Son of SOD’ – bringing back memories of Gary Ablett Junior, who was nicknamed the ‘Son of God’ after his father, whose incredible career for Geelong saw him nicknamed after the almighty. 

Coach Luke Beveridge lit up when speaking about bringing O’Donnell to the Whitten Oval.

‘Simon’s such an iconic Australian cricketer. What an amazing one-day cricketer, and when you think about the O’Donnell history and the lineage in sport, there’s a lot of romance attached to James now getting an opportunity in Australian Rules Football,’ he said on Friday.

‘Beyond Alex, as far as cross-code, category B rookies, we haven’t really entertained anyone … credit to the O’Donnell genealogy.

‘James is well put together. He’s a tremendous athlete.

‘He’s had to really convince us that we should give him a spot.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has been impressed by the younger O’Donnell’s fitness and strength levels ahead of a possible VFL debut for Footscray on April 22

‘It’s really exciting that we’ve got a young fella in … now we’re going to nurture him look after him as a as a young man.’

Beveridge said O’Donnell would look to debut for Footscray in the VFL on April 22 when the Bulldogs take on Southport.

‘He’s not coming from a long way back as far as his fitness and strength levels go,’ Beveridge said.

‘He hasn’t played any footy really for a long period of time, because of his category B status to keep it that way.

‘He hasn’t been able to play practice matches, but he’s looked really good in training.’