Player Watch #2 Hayden McLean - re-signed end 2027

[Kennedy Parker]

Hayden McLean

Player Profile
Pre-season supplementary list rules allowed the Sydney Swans to sign Hayden McLean in March 2019, and while injury ruled out the key-position player for seven of the first 10 NEAFL games of the season, he’d respond in commanding fashion. The former Sandringham Dragons skipper made his AFL debut as Sydney met Fremantle in Round 18, 2019, which saw him battle imposing ruck trio Aaron Sandilands, Sean Darcy and Rory Lobb, as well as a parochial Optus Stadium crowd. Coach John Longmire praised McLean’s debut performance and he finished the season with four AFL games beside his name. The 197-centimetre, 93-kilogram giant is chasing consistent AFL selection in 2020. Draft history: 2019 pre-season supplementary rookie selection

Hayden McLean

2

Hayden Mclean

Age

25

Ht

197cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.1

2star

K

5.1

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

4.0

5star

G

0.4

3star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.3

4star

G

0.8

4star

D

10.0

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

4.4

5star

G

0.2

3star

DOB:20 January 1999
DRAFT:2018
RECRUITED FROM: Beaumaris (Vic)/St Bede's Coll (Vic)/ Sand U18/Sand (VFL)

Hayden McLean | AFL

Follow Hayden McLean's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Callipygian]

Thanks for your deep dive caesar. I agree Hayden had a great year and solidified his place as a bona fide AFL player. I think the club already believed in him (especially Horse) because we continually called on him at crucial times - not least the 2022 Grand Final - and he always repaid the faith.

Great post.

I was an unabashed admirer from the moment in his debut game when he competed at the first bounce against Sandilands. Sandi welcomed him to senior footy by putting his knee into Haydens chest and bowling him over. McLean got up, dusted himself off and got on with it. He was undersized and gassed by half time but he won some taps and clearances and competed hard.

In the years since he has put a huge amount of work into his aerobic capacity and other parts of his game. At one stage Longmire admiringly noted he and Gulden are the two who have to be called in from training. And it is his work ethic that has stood him in good stead. Of course he is unlikely to be an elite player but I am confident he will be the best Hayden McLean he can possibly be. His other asset beyond being a solid contested mark and decent kick is his smarts. He reads the play well and does things within his skill limits that suggest he has a decent footy brain.

While I never lost faith, even I was surprised at how well he played in the latter part of the season. That form and his new justly deserved contract will have given him a significant boost in confidence. I have no doubt he will build on it and continue to work damned hard.

Another one of those times we showed faith in him that he repaid, was exactly that scenario that you have described GUH - on debut being called in as a makeshift ruck against Sandilands. It was so memorable and I too couldn't fail to be impressed by his ticker.

So while we fans may be just waking up to his potential (I wouldn't say his worth because I think we have always recognised his good points - his work rate, his effort, his accurate goal kicking), I think the club has believed in him for quite a while (indeed we recruited him when he had been overlooked by everyone else).

My sentiments exactly Uncle. His first game he was as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs and dropped a sitter about 25 out in front. But he didn't panic! He paddled the ball into the path of a teammate who snagged the goal. Young Gulden IIRC.
I thought "this bloke isn't a dill and doesn't mind making his mates look good".
Been a fan ever since.

Small point but it must have been a different team mate - not Errol. Hayden debuted in round 18 2019 more than 12 months before months before Errol joined the list.

p.s. I couldn't resist and I just went back and watched the match highlights. I didn't find that goal so maybe it was another match that you're thinking of (possibly one that Errol did play?) but it was a great, intense match. Freo prevailed 52-51 in slippery condition in Perth. Fox took a great mark in the 2nd quarter, Rampe did some desperate defending, Blakey VERY unselfishly gave off a goal to Paps and Rory Lobb had a strong performance with at least three goals (the first two were both pretty good).

 

[Kiama Chris]

Thanks for your deep dive caesar. I agree Hayden had a great year and solidified his place as a bona fide AFL player. I think the club already believed in him (especially Horse) because we continually called on him at crucial times - not least the 2022 Grand Final - and he always repaid the faith.



Another one of those times we showed faith in him that he repaid, was exactly that scenario that you have described GUH - on debut being called in as a makeshift ruck against Sandilands. It was so memorable and I too couldn't fail to be impressed by his ticker.

So while we fans may be just waking up to his potential (I wouldn't say his worth because I think we have always recognised his good points - his work rate, his effort, his accurate goal kicking), I think the club has believed in him for quite a while (indeed we recruited him when he had been overlooked by everyone else).





Small point but it must have been a different team mate - not Errol. Hayden debuted in round 18 2019 more than 12 months before months before Errol joined the list.

Someone small anyway.

 

[caesar88]

Someone small anyway.

I think you're thinking of round 1, 2021. That exact play you described happened in the match against Brisbane at the Gabba, which was Gulden's debut. I recall McLean giving off a few other potential shots at goal to teammates in that game and thinking, "mate, you're playing for your spot here! You need goals!" Lo and behold Buddy returned the following week and McLean was dropped, despite I'm sure impressing the coaches with his selflessness.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

My first off-season deep-dive is Hayden McLean.

Why McLean? Well he was the story of the season for me. Not because he was our best player – not by a long shot – but he was the biggest take away from the season. “What? Not Errol Gulden?” I hear you say. I'd argue we already knew that Gulden was very good, and could probably be great. But we had no idea what McLean could be. The general consensus seemed to be that he was anywhere between an average player who could do a role and a depth player who wasn’t up to standard. (I personally was in the former camp.) I think the overwhelming majority would’ve considered McLean a success if he was able to just come in and play his role when required without being a complete list-clogger.

Then late in the season, he pleasantly surprised us by teasing the possibility that he could be more than that, and that we may just have another quality tall on the list whose name isn’t Logan McDonald.

But should it have been such a surprise?

If an autobiography based on McLean’s career to date was written, it’s title would be ‘Not Buddy’. He’d always been handy to have on the list – a powerful presence in the VFL side, a serviceable player in the AFL side. He just wasn’t Buddy. It was easy to be comfortable with the idea that McLean would be a decent inclusion if we needed to bring him in, or no loss if we needed to drop him.

It’s hard to expect a player to flourish when he’s on a cycle of being close to last one in, first one out for most of his stint at the club.

What that cycle didn’t allow for was the potential for him to actually grow and get much better as a player. To gain confidence in his ability, to feel backed in by his coaches, to know he could make a spot in the team his own. It’s no one’s fault, as it’s just the reality of being a forward on the list at the same time as one of the greatest forwards of all time. But it wasn’t ideal circumstances for a forward to be developing in.

I don’t know that there are narratives to be found in aussie rules footy, but McLean kicking four goals – against an elite defence in the wet, mind you – in his first outing post-Buddy (ie. freed from those circumstances above) felt like an Andy Dufresne crawling through five hundred yards of sh.t-smelling foulness moment. Like he could now just focus on being Hayden McLean, his own player, rather than the best placeholder he could be.

In his last five games, he didn’t just look the part – he was very good. Sure, we could dismiss it on the notion of it only being a block of five games.

But that’s one more game than Angus Sheldrick played in the midfield this year, and some believe he’s the midfield’s Messiah.

It’s two more games than it took for Chad Warner to go from quality youngster to a holy-s**t-we-need-to-tag-this-guy player in 2022.

It’s three more games than Nick Blakey played in defence in the VFL as part of an experiment that led him to the 40-man AA squad two years later.

If we can take excitement and optimism out of these other player’s cases, then there’s no reason we can’t take the same excitement and optimism out of McLean’s. And it’s not like those five games were isolated, either. He’s had plenty of other quality games throughout his career, just never consistently, and never of a quantity to justify automatic selection.

As for how McLean can achieve and maintain that consistency, and maybe even build from there, I think it’s quite simple for him. He’s not very good at many things but the things he's shown he can be very good at happen to be very important in footy and his role: marking, kicking, skills, work rate. There’s no bells and whistles with McLean, he’s just shown he can do all the basics really well at times. Since his bag of tricks is never going to be overly deep, and he’s never going to be blessed with much athleticism, he really just needs to keep at those strengths of his. Become the best mark he can be. Become as accurate a kick as he can be. Become as clean with his hands as he can be. Become as fit as he can be to work around the ground. Rinse and repeat.

If he nails those things, then the results will speak for themselves, and he can be a very good player over his career, just like he was in the back end of this year for us. If he doesn't, well... expect his next five years to be similar to his first five.

Over to you big fella.

Love these posts caesar88 !

I’m going to be the (unpopular) odd one out here by saying I’m still not entirely convinced.

I agree the McL did play very well post-Buddy in the back end of the season.

But in my mind, the question still remains - does his lack of athleticism impart a ceiling that means hell be back fighting for a spot when the next tall emerges, or Reid gets on the park, or even if the 3-man tall forward rotation includes Grundy and Ladhams resting?

I’m fascinated to see how things play out in 2024.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Love these posts caesar88 !

I’m going to be the (unpopular) odd one out here by saying I’m still not entirely convinced.

I agree the McL did play very well post-Buddy in the back end of the season.

But in my mind, the question still remains - does his lack of athleticism impart a ceiling that means hell be back fighting for a spot when the next tall emerges, or Reid gets on the park, or even if the 3-man tall forward rotation includes Grundy and Ladhams resting?

I’m fascinated to see how things play out in 2024.

McLean's "lack of athleticism" relates to a lack of straight line speed, acceleration and agility, compared to the best at those things. All true. Unlikely ever to improve significantly.
He has developed anticipation, endurance, strength and second efforts as well as the little assists mentioned above which will continue to contribute to his value to the team for some time. Durable and reliable.
On exposed form I doubt that Grundy or Ladhams will take his spot as a forward. Buller might if Amartey cracks it.

 

[caesar88]

Love these posts caesar88 !

I’m going to be the (unpopular) odd one out here by saying I’m still not entirely convinced.

I agree the McL did play very well post-Buddy in the back end of the season.

But in my mind, the question still remains - does his lack of athleticism impart a ceiling that means hell be back fighting for a spot when the next tall emerges, or Reid gets on the park, or even if the 3-man tall forward rotation includes Grundy and Ladhams resting?

I’m fascinated to see how things play out in 2024.

I guess my point is that if he can be good at enough at his strengths, then they'll easily override his weaknesses. The McLean of the last month or so of this season wouldn't get dropped just because he's a bit slow and lumbersome. Impact and output always trump attributes (see: JPK, Grundy, Smith, etc.)

 

[Callipygian]

It's easier to get away with some of those deficits as a forward than as a defender. You don't need to be able to score goals every which way, you need to be able to have at least one way of overcoming opposition defences and making yourself effective offensively. Hayden offers a lot in the air - a marking outlet coming out of defence, capable at marking the ball or at least bringing it to ground, as well as the goal scoring. The other part is defensively. Dosser's endurance and work rate will help him effectively contain opposition rebound even if he isn't able to stop a small nippy opponent ducking around him.

 

[Slingshot Footy]

Probably the only positive of a Dermott Brereton broadcast is how highly he speaks of Hayden. He deserves everything he gets as a professional footballer because he works so bloody hard! I've banged on about this before but I would love him in the leadership squad for next season.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Hope haydos is working on his speed in the off season. I like fast players.

 

[Bonz]

Wait, McClean has another level?

Guy reminds me of Freeza off Dragonball. Keeps upgrading his form.

Petition to change thread title to "Hayden Freiza McLean"?

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

I think Haydos is our best set shot at goal - any other takes ?

 

[Kiama Chris]

I think Haydos is our best set shot at goal - any other takes ?

Parker would be close. Hayden's average overall is 67%.

 

[BarneyBent]

I think Haydos is our best set shot at goal - any other takes ?

He's solid, but plays close to goal which helps his accuracy a fair bit. 45 out on a 45 degree angle, I'd probably back Parker or Gulden.

Then there's Heeney who's obviously a weird one - would back him over anybody to kick a tight one from the boundary but 30 metres out directly in front I'd take just about anybody else.

 

[Kiama Chris]

He's solid, but plays close to goal which helps his accuracy a fair bit. 45 out on a 45 degree angle, I'd probably back Parker or Gulden.

Then there's Heeney who's obviously a weird one - would back him over anybody to kick a tight one from the boundary but 30 metres out directly in front I'd take just about anybody else.

Gulden is fantastic on the run but not so much with the set shot.

 

[Slingshot Footy]

Gulden is fantastic on the run but not so much with the set shot.

Braeden’s probably a better set shot than Gulden.

 

[rustycrate]

Gulden is fantastic on the run but not so much with the set shot.

Funny how that can be. But it is real.

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

Big watch on Hayden this year.

Even a slight & steady improvement will put this guy into elite company as a Ruck/Fwd.

Could go past Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

22

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

on his current trajectory.

 

[rustycrate]

Big watch on Hayden this year.

Even a slight & steady improvement will put this guy into elite company as a Ruck/Fwd.

Could go past Luke Jackson on his current trajectory.

I agree. Does not do a lot of things wrong. He goes into a pack and somehow comes up with the ball. And you think how was he even close to getting the ball. The guy makes me eat my negative thoughts about him consistently.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

I agree. Does not do a lot of things wrong. He goes into a pack and somehow comes up with the ball. And you think how was he even close to getting the ball. The guy makes me eat my negative thoughts about him consistently.

Just needs to work on his speed and improve his b-double turning circle and he could push elite status. I like fast players.

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

I agree. Does not do a lot of things wrong. He goes into a pack and somehow comes up with the ball. And you think how was he even close to getting the ball. The guy makes me eat my negative thoughts about him consistently.

Agree. I've been very sceptical of him but he was huge in a few games this year. Finally looked like a player and wasn't afraid to start throuwing his weight around and imposing himself on the game.

 

[Ed_Gein]

Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

22

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

is already a pretty good player and I don't think McLean has the same athleticism to cover the ground the same way Jackson does.

Don't see him being better than Jackson anyway...

 

[tombomb]

Big watch on Hayden this year.

Even a slight & steady improvement will put this guy into elite company as a Ruck/Fwd.

Could go past Luke Jackson on his current trajectory.

I like Hayden and think his type of player is very valuable, as a forward who can hold his own in the ruck.

But Jackson is a much better player and is 3 years younger.

 

[rustycrate]

I like Hayden and think his type of player is very valuable, as a forward who can hold his own in the ruck.

But Jackson is a much better player and is 3 years younger.

Hayden is better looking.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Hayden is better looking.

Jackson is a lot flashier but I'm not convinced that he's that far ahead of Haydos. I'll be very interested to compare their stats at the end of this season. And Hayden is indeed much better looking.

 

[CaptainChardonnay]

I like Hayden and think his type of player is very valuable, as a forward who can hold his own in the ruck.

But Jackson is a much better player and is 3 years younger.

Didn't realist that TBH