Hayden McLean
McLean in 2019 playing for Sydney in the NEAFL
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-01-20) 20 January 1999 (age 25)
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
2019 Sydney 41 4 0 1 23 20 43 12 19 53 0.0 0.3 5.8 5.0 10.8 3.0 4.8 13.3 0
2020[a] Sydney 41 6 5 1 24 14 38 13 15 14 0.8 0.2 4.0 2.3 6.3 2.2 2.5 2.3 0
2021 Sydney 41 12 11 6 67 35 102 53 23 30 0.9 0.5 5.6 2.9 8.5 4.4 1.9 2.5 1
2022 Sydney 2 9 11 3 47 34 81 28 14 38 1.2 0.3 5.2 3.8 9.0 3.1 1.6 4.2 0
Career 31 27 11 161 103 264 106 71 135 0.9 0.4 5.2 3.3 8.5 3.4 2.3 4.4 1

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. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hayden McLean.
Sydney Swans – current squad
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