Force head coach Simon Cron praised Donnelly, a 65-game veteran for the Highlanders, for how the lineout is performing in defence in their 24-28 loss to the Reds in Brisbane at the weekend.
Cron said the defensive lineout 'gave us a great opportunity to take some of their ball and be able to play our way.'
Highlanders assistant coach Dave Dillon said that in Canberra on Monday after their 27-34 loss to the Brumbies, they had no issue with the game and how they were playing, but it was execution at crucial times, and errors were costing them.
"When we look back on that, we look at key moments, key factors in that game where we could have got that result. We've gone away and had a look at ourselves."
He said the side's defensive effort impressed but, as coaches, they were never happy.
"The boys keep turning up and putting their bodies on the line, but we've got to look at how we can get the ball back earlier in the phase count.
"We're defending for long periods there, so there's always areas, both sides of the ball, but particularly with our defence where we can improve and be better.
"We've had several close losses, but we believe in what we're doing and how we're doing it.
"A week's a long time in professional sport. We're back into it, into the review and preview and working towards a result against the Force on Saturday."
Injuries after such a physical game were light.
"It is a physical competition but we came away pretty much unscathed."
All Blacks loosehead prop Ethan de Groot is to join the team in Canberra before the group flies to Perth later in the week, while Daniel Lienert-Brown is returning home.