Michael McLean (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Michael "Magic" McLean is a former professional Australian rules football
er who played with both Footscray and Brisbane in the VFL/AFL.
and Australian football at junior levels. His father, from Queensland
pushed for Michael at age 15 to pursue a career in rugby league career, however he decided to continue playing Australian football.
McLean played his first senior league with the Nightcliff Rugby League club but also played Australian football for the Nightcliff Football Club
in the Northern Territory Football League
where he was eventually scouted by the Footscray Football Club to play professionally.
that hampered his career.
In response to his injuries, McLean focused on building his lean body to become one of the strongest physiques in the competition.
, as the no. 1 pick by the Brisbane Bears
. He resurrected his career, winning the 1991 and 1993 best and fairest
award at the Bears. He went on to play 87 games and boot 17 goals with the Bears, before playing the first game in 1997 with the newly-merged Brisbane Lions
before constant calf injury struck him down, forcing his retirement.
In the 2006/07 season, McLean became coach for the Southern Districts Football Club
where he led the club to their first ever NTFL premiership.
McLean is now the head coach of the Northern Territory Thunder. Who now are playing in their inaugural season of the QAFL.
match up in Darwin, and was also named in the Indigenous Team of the Century
.
In 2007, McLean was working at Palmerston YMCA in Darwin as a community worker.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with both Footscray and Brisbane in the VFL/AFL.
Early life
McLean was born and raised in Darwin in the Northern Territory and played both rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and Australian football at junior levels. His father, from Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
pushed for Michael at age 15 to pursue a career in rugby league career, however he decided to continue playing Australian football.
McLean played his first senior league with the Nightcliff Rugby League club but also played Australian football for the Nightcliff Football Club
Nightcliff Football Club
The Nightcliff Football Club, nicknamed, Tigers, is a member club of the Northern Territory Football League, and is based in the Darwin suburb of Nightcliff.-History:The club was formed in 1950.It was formally known as Working & Housing....
in the Northern Territory Football League
Northern Territory Football League
The Northern Territory Football League is an 8 team Australian rules football semi-professional league operating in Darwin in the Northern Territory.The premier grade is the largest Australian rules football league in the Northern Territory...
where he was eventually scouted by the Footscray Football Club to play professionally.
Footscray career
McLean moved to Victoria and debuted for Footscray in 1983. He became known as a skilful winger who went on to play 95 games and boot 23 goals with the Bulldogs before he suffered an ankle and calf injuriesAustralian rules football injuries
Australian rules football is a sport known for its high level of physical body contact compared to other sports such as soccer and basketball. High impact collisions can occur from any direction, although deliberate collisions from front-on...
that hampered his career.
In response to his injuries, McLean focused on building his lean body to become one of the strongest physiques in the competition.
Brisbane career
The Bulldogs gave McLean the boot, before he was picked up in the 1991 AFL Pre-season DraftAFL Pre-season Draft
The AFL Pre-season Draft is the drafting of uncontracted players to teams in the Australian Football League. The draft is conducted after the National AFL Draft and before the start of the next AFL season. It is conducted at the same time as the AFL rookie draft...
, as the no. 1 pick by the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
. He resurrected his career, winning the 1991 and 1993 best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award at the Bears. He went on to play 87 games and boot 17 goals with the Bears, before playing the first game in 1997 with the newly-merged Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
before constant calf injury struck him down, forcing his retirement.
Coaching career
McLean eventually returned to Darwin to coach his former club the Nightcliff Tigers. He did so for 5 years with limited success before resigning at the end of 2004 to coach the Redland Bombers in the Queensland State League. At the end of the 2005, as Redland seemed destined for the wooden spoon, he resigned and returned to Darwin to again coach Nightcliff. In the 2005/06 season, McLean gave the Tigers an impressive season and reached the Preliminary Final before bowing out to eventual premiers the Darwin Buffaloes.In the 2006/07 season, McLean became coach for the Southern Districts Football Club
Southern Districts Football Club
The Southern Districts Football Club, nicknamed, Crocs, is an Australian rules football club established in 1981. The club plays in the Northern Territory Football League at semi-professional level....
where he led the club to their first ever NTFL premiership.
McLean is now the head coach of the Northern Territory Thunder. Who now are playing in their inaugural season of the QAFL.
Aboriginal activist
During his career he was a strong anti-racism advocate, and this continued post his career. He was a vital part of the Aboriginal All-StarsAboriginal All-Stars
The Indigenous All-Stars are an Australian rules football team composed purely of Indigenous Australians....
match up in Darwin, and was also named in the Indigenous Team of the Century
Indigenous Team of the Century
The Indigenous Team of the Century was selected to recognise the role of Indigenous Australians in the sport. It was announced in 2005 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first senior game played by an indigenous player, Fitzroy's Joe Johnson...
.
In 2007, McLean was working at Palmerston YMCA in Darwin as a community worker.