In an announcement posted to Facebook on Sunday, the Bushrangers, in what they called “the most significant signing” in club history, announced the addition of former Victorian representative Tom O’Donnell, son of former Australian cricketer Simon O’Donnell, in a move that will bolster the side massively as it searches for a way back up the A-grade ladder.
Not only a Victorian representative, O’Donnell, a towering seamer, has also represented Australia at under-19 level, played for the Cricket Australia XI, the National Performance Squad, and enjoyed a stellar career with Essendon in the strong Premier Cricket competition in Melbourne.
Bushrangers stalwart Trevor Saker described the signing as a defining moment for the club.
"To attract a player of Tom's calibre is an enormous achievement for our club,” he said in the statement.
“His playing credentials speak for themselves, but just as importantly, he brings leadership, professionalism and a wealth of experience that will have a lasting impact on everyone involved with the Bushrangers.
“This signing demonstrates the direction our club is heading. We're building something exciting, and having someone with Tom's experience choose Benalla is a huge endorsement of what we're creating."
The Bushrangers said the landmark recruitment reflected the commitment the club had made to becoming capable of competing at the highest level while continuing to develop the next generation of local cricketers.
O’Donnell, who will provide experience, invaluable leadership and understanding of the game to the club to complement the immense talent he adds on field, said he was excited to get life as a Bushranger under way ahead of the new campaign.
“I’m looking forward to getting started and can’t wait to crack in,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to meeting everyone, helping develop the younger players, and hopefully playing a big role in what promises to be an exciting season.”
The Bushrangers finished fifth in the 2025-26 WDCA A grade season, having made a slow start before clicking into gear as the season progressed, winning three of their final four matches to fall one spot shy of a finals appearance.
