Hayden McLean
McLean in 2019 playing for Sydney in the NEAFL
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-01-20) 20 January 1999
Original team(s) Sandringham Dragons (TAC Cup)
Draft Pre-season supplemental selection, 2019
Debut Round 18, 2019, Sydney vs. Fremantle, at Optus Stadium
Height 197 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Weight 100 kg (220 lb)
Position(s) Ruckman/key forward
Club information
Current club Sydney
Number 2
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2019– Sydney 31 (27)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2022 season.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Hayden McLean (born 20 January 1999) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Sydney in the Australian Football League (AFL). A 1.97-metre tall who can play as a ruckman or key forward, McLean began his career in the TAC Cup before a season in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He was recruited by Sydney on the eve of the 2019 season as a pre-season supplemental selection, and made his AFL debut later that year.

Junior career

McLean attended St. Bede’s College in Mentone. He played junior football for the Beaumaris Sharks[1] before joining the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup.[2] He also was a member of the AFL Academy – spending time at the Sydney Swans as part of the development program[3] – and represented Vic Metro at the AFL Under 18 Championships. In 2017, McLean became Sandringham's captain and Vic Metro's vice-captain, but was overlooked in the 2017 AFL draft.[2][3]

He began playing in the VFL for the Sandringham Zebras, who were affiliated with AFL club St Kilda. McLean played 13 matches in 2018, averaging 5.2 marks, 10.3 hit-outs and 13.2 disposals[4] and rucking against AFL-listed players including Matthew Leuenberger, Braydon Preuss and Zac Smith. He was also named the club's best first-year player for 2018.[2] McLean trained with St Kilda in November, hoping to be selected in the 2018 AFL draft,[5] and was named by Fox Sports, which considered him similar to Adelaide ruck/forward Josh Jenkins, as a likely mature-age recruit.[6] However, he was again overlooked and moved to Adelaide to play with South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club South Adelaide in 2019.[2]

AFL career

McLean was recruited by Sydney in March 2019 as a pre-season supplemental selection to cover the loss of defender Jack Maibaum to a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury.[4] His recruitment also increased the club's depth of tall players after Kurt Tippett's retirement.[2] McLean's selection was criticised by SANFL officials, as it deprived South Adelaide of an important recruit only a fortnight before their 2019 season began, leaving them unable to find a replacement in time.[7] McLean spent most of his first season in Sydney's North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) side, before a call-up to the AFL team in round 18 – a challenging match-up rucking alongside Robbie Fox against Fremantle veteran Aaron Sandilands.[8] He played three more matches to finish the season and extended his contract with Sydney to 2020.[9]McLean signed a four-year contract extension to stay with the swans until 2027

2021

He kicked a career-high four goals in the Round 7 win against Geelong.[10]

Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2022 season.[11]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
H/O
 Hit-outs
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T H/O G B K H D M T H/O
2019Sydney41 4012320431219530.00.35.85.010.83.04.813.30
2020[lower-alpha 1]Sydney41 6512414381315140.80.24.02.36.32.22.52.30
2021Sydney41 1211667351025323300.90.55.62.98.54.41.92.51
2022Sydney2 91134734812814381.20.35.23.89.03.11.64.20
Career 312711161103264106711350.90.45.23.38.53.42.34.41

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

  1. ↑ Gates, Zachary (15 March 2019). "McLean thrilled as Swans surprise". sydneyswans.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Cleary, Mitch (12 March 2019). "Swans fill final list spot with South Australian big man". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  3. 1 2 Ryan, Peter (12 March 2019). "Sydney Swans add South Adelaide's Hayden McLean via rookie list". The Age. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  4. 1 2 Balmer, Matt (12 March 2019). "Sydney add tall Hayden McLean to playing list". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  5. ↑ Navaratnam, Dinny (5 November 2018). "Saints put state league pair on trial as 2018 draft looms". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  6. ↑ Olle, Sarah (13 November 2018). "AFL draft 2018: Mature-age VFL stars AFL clubs should consider at national and rookie drafts". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  7. ↑ Sutton, Malcolm (25 March 2019). "AFL injuries bode poorly for state leagues with mid-season draft looming". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  8. ↑ Rugari, Vince (19 July 2019). "Swans back rookie ruck to handle the AFL's biggest challenge". The Age. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "Swans re-sign five, including former US college basketballer". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "Swans steal victory from Cats in SCG thriller". The Australian. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  11. ↑ "Hayden McLean". AFL Tables. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
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