Michael McLean (footballer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michael McLean |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Michael McLean | ||
| Date of birth | 3 March 1965 | ||
| Original team | Nightcliff (NTFL) | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Michael "Magic" McLean (born 3 March 1965) is a famous former professional Australian rules football player. He was known for his amazing skills on the field. He played for three different teams in the Australian Football League (AFL): the Footscray Football Club, Brisbane Bears, and Brisbane Lions.
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Michael McLean's Early Life
Michael McLean grew up in the Northern Territory. When he was young, he played two different sports: rugby league and Australian rules football. His dad wanted him to play rugby league when he was 15 years old. However, Michael chose to stick with Australian rules football.
He played for the Nightcliff Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League. This is where the Footscray Football Club noticed his talent. They invited him to play professionally in the AFL.
Playing in the AFL
Footscray Career
Michael McLean moved to Victoria and started playing for Footscray in 1983. He quickly became known as a very skilled winger. A winger is a player who runs along the sides of the field. He played 95 games and kicked 23 goals for the Bulldogs.
Later, he had some injuries to his ankle and calf muscles. These injuries made it hard for him to play his best. To get stronger, McLean worked hard to build up his body. He became one of the toughest players in the league.
Brisbane Career
After his time at Footscray, McLean was chosen by the Brisbane Bears in the 1991 pre-season draft. He was the very first player picked! This was a fresh start for his career. He played incredibly well for the Bears.
He won the "best and fairest" award for the Bears twice, in 1991 and 1993. This award goes to the team's best player. He played 87 games and kicked 17 goals for the Bears. In 1997, the Brisbane Bears joined with another team to form the Brisbane Lions. McLean played one game for the new Brisbane Lions. But his calf injuries returned, and he had to retire from playing.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Michael McLean became a coach. He went back to Darwin to coach his old club, Nightcliff. He coached them for five years. In 2004, he moved to coach the Redland Football Club in Queensland.
He later returned to coach Nightcliff again in 2005. In the 2005–06 season, he led the Tigers to a great season. They made it to the preliminary final. In the 2006–07 season, McLean coached the Southern Districts Football Club. He led them to win the premiership in his first year as coach!
In 2009, he became the head coach of the Northern Territory Football Club. He coached them in their first season in the Queensland Australian Football League (QAFL). In 2016, he became the senior coach for the Waratah Football Club.
Aboriginal Activist
Throughout his career and after, Michael McLean has been a strong voice against racism. He worked hard to support Indigenous people in sports. He was a very important part of the Aboriginal All-Stars football match in Darwin. He was also named in the special Indigenous Team of the Century.
In 2007, McLean worked as a community worker at Palmerston YMCA in Darwin. He helped people in his community.
