The Coon Dog
16-10-2008, 05:40 PM
Michael McLean - Footscray 1983-1989 – 95 games & 23 goals, Brisbane 1991-1997 -88 games & 17 goals.
Brisbane Best & Fairest 1991 & 1993.
http://i16.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/f8/0e/4f96_1.JPG http://i19.ebayimg.com/03/i/001/11/3e/58dc_1_b.JPG
TCD: Hi Michael, hopefully you’re feeling better than when I last spoke with you (Michael got very sick when he last came to Melbourne to play in the Ted Whitten Legends game earlier this year).
MM: Yeah, much better now I’m back in Darwin.
Firstly, the nickname Magic (has there ever been a more apt nickname?), who gave it to you?
Hawk & Pretty Boy, Steve Knight when I first came to Melbourne.
Where did you grow up?
Darwin born & bred.
Who did you play junior football for?
I started with Waratah’s for my first 2 seasons. We had to move house because of Cyclone Tracy back in 1974. I then moved back to where I used to live & played with the Nightcliff Tigers.
Who did you barrack for when you were growing up?
I didn’t really barrack for a team. I used to watch the winners & listen to the games on the radio. They tended to feature Collingwood, Carlton, North Melbourne & Essendon frequently in those days.
So, how did a skinny kid from Darwin find his way to Melbourne & the VFL?
I was playing seniors for Nightcliff when I was 15 years old. I played representative football for the Northern Territory in the Teal Cup & National Schoolboy’s Championships. In the 1981 Carnival in Brisbane I was the runner up in the Schoolboy’s Carnival.
When I turned 16 a number of clubs including Richmond, North Melbourne, Essendon, Carlton & Footscray approached me.
Why Footscray?
They were the last ones to approach me actually, but they had a ‘Form 4’ which I signed, it was a spur of the moment decision.
When did you come down to Melbourne?
I came in 1982, but couldn’t play the first 6 games as Nightcliff held up my clearance.
Why did they do that?
They wanted money.
Did they get it?
Yeah, they got $40,000 over 3 years.
How did you adjust after that?
Well actually, the club had gotten a number of juniors & threw us together & said they had a few of the best young kids in the country, including Stephen MacPherson, Steve Wallis, Mark Noble & myself.
I played the last 5 or 6 games in the Reserves under Don McKenzie & despite missing many games I finished 5th in the U19’s Best & Fairest.
When did you play your first game for the seniors?
I had been playing in the Reserves for most of 1983, but got my first senior game in round 12 against Geelong at the Whitten Oval. I was as nervous as a kitten beforehand.
How did we go?
We won by 2 goals or so (WB 102 d Geel 91) & I kicked 2 goals.
You wore #51 in that game & throughout your career with the Bulldogs. Ever get the chance to change numbers?
Yes, but this is a bit embarrassing. I was offered #3, but didn’t really know who Teddy Whitten was, so I thought no, I’ll make a career in my own number. I did want to wear #8 as that was my number in juniors, but Rick Kennedy had that.
You played 95 games for Footscray, but there were many injuries along the way.
Yes, the first fifty odd flew, then it was a never ending process there for a while of injuries to my ankle, which was chronic & my knee. I had 8 operations & only played 33 games in 4 seasons.
Why did you end up leaving the club?
At the end of 1990 I was presented with a new contract offer which frankly was laughable. I could have made more money playing for Wodonga.
There was speculation that I was to be traded to West Coast, but with less than an hour before trades closed Footscray decided not to proceed. West Coast then got Dale Kickett instead from Fitzroy for Joe Cormack & David O’Connell plus a pick.
Why did Footscray say no to the deal?
I have no idea. I tried desperately to talk with Terry Wheeler, but he wasn’t able to take my calls.
Couldn't or wouldn't?
I don't know.
Did you feel let down by the club?
Yes, very, so I headed back to Darwin & if I didn’t get selected in the PSD I’d go down to Wodonga to assist Jeff Geischen.
Was there much interest in you at that time?
Yes, 10 clubs including Footscray spoke to me. I told Footscray if they selected me they would be wasting a pick as I wasn’t interested.
So you became a Bear.
Yes, Brisbane had first pick in the PSD & selected me.
Why didn’t you wear #51 at Brisbane?
I asked for it, but they didn’t go that high, so I asked for #8, but it was taken so I wore #19.
What did it feel like to play at the Western Oval against the Bulldogs?
I was as fired up for that game as any in my whole life. I played on 4 opponents, Libba, Bernard Toohey, Darren Baxter & I can’t recall the other, but I ended up with 40 touches, 20 kicks & 20 handballs.
What were some of your career highlights?
I won the Brisbane Best & Fairest in my first season in 1991 playing in the midfield. I came 5th in the Brownlow that year with 17 votes & was leading at the halfway mark. I won it again in 1993 from the back pocket. I beat Nathan Buckley, who had taken my midfield role, so that made even more special.
I also captained the Aboriginal All Stars team & coached them 3 times, which means so much to me.
Who were some of the best players you played with?
• Doug Hawkins – an absolute sensation, the best player I played with.
• Stephen MacPherson – he played to win & would die for you.
• Brad Hardie – can I claim half of his 1985 Brownlow Medal? When he roamed far & wide chasing kicks, I ended up manning up his direct opponent. A class player though.
• Tony McGuinness – an amazing work rate & penetrating left foot kick too.
• Brian Royal – also had a great work rate. Just knew how to get the ball.
• Rick Kennedy – he just played for the team, not himself.
• Jim Edmond – Jock was inspirational.
• Craig Lambert – terrific vision, tenacious & had good hands.
• Roger Merrett & Martin Leslie – it was like going to war, these two played to win.
• Michael Voss – he was only young, but you just knew he was something special.
• John Gastev – he was all class.
What about some of your opponents?
• Phil Krakouer – he was scary, you couldn’t take your eyes off him for a second & he could turn either way.
• Jimmy Krakouer – he was tough & his disposal was clean.
• Peter Daicos – it was a nightmare. You had to concentrate so hard you always finished the game with a headache.
• Maurice Rioli – he was all class in whatever he did.
• Mark Bairstow & Craig Bradley – when I went into the midfield these two were tough as Damien Bourke & Justin Madden usually gave them first use of the ball & they both anticipated so well & were often ahead of the ball before it got there.
Who coached you?
• Mick Malthouse – A strong character & he had players playing for him. Very big on winning the contested aspect of footy.
• Terry Wheeler – he was OK, did a good job with the group he had.
• Robert Walls – I loved Wallsy. He did a terrific amount of work for the group in the early Brisbane days & went along way towards the development of the side Leigh ultimately inherited.
• John Northey - I didn’t have a lot to do with him as I was often injured.
What have you done since you retired in 1997?
I returned to Darwin for a year & then went back to Brisbane as Leigh Matthews’s first appointment. For 2 years. I have coached in both Queensland & Darwin since.
Do you still follow the footy?
Yes, I have a soft spot for my 2 old teams so I like them to do well. It’s good when the Bulldogs come to Darwin as I catch up with Rocket who I got to know at Brisbane when he was coach of the reserves in 1991 & also Aker.
I can often remember you doing weights at the club way back when & you had 3 little boys, who were as quiet as church mice. They used to get looked after in the office & draw & colour in. How old are they now?
They are all grown up, Mark is 23, Gavin is 22 & Jaimie is 18. They like to see their Dad’s 2 old teams do well. I also have a 7 year old daughter, Haylee who is only just starting to realise that her Dad played footy for a living.
Thanks Magic, but I can’t let you go without asking you about the 1985 Preliminary Final, what can you remember?
I was the youngest player in the team & kicked a couple of goals. It was all going so well until the master came on & shattered our dreams. We really felt we had Essendon’s measure that year & should have won.
Thanks for your time Magic.
You’re welcome.
Brisbane Best & Fairest 1991 & 1993.
http://i16.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/f8/0e/4f96_1.JPG http://i19.ebayimg.com/03/i/001/11/3e/58dc_1_b.JPG
TCD: Hi Michael, hopefully you’re feeling better than when I last spoke with you (Michael got very sick when he last came to Melbourne to play in the Ted Whitten Legends game earlier this year).
MM: Yeah, much better now I’m back in Darwin.
Firstly, the nickname Magic (has there ever been a more apt nickname?), who gave it to you?
Hawk & Pretty Boy, Steve Knight when I first came to Melbourne.
Where did you grow up?
Darwin born & bred.
Who did you play junior football for?
I started with Waratah’s for my first 2 seasons. We had to move house because of Cyclone Tracy back in 1974. I then moved back to where I used to live & played with the Nightcliff Tigers.
Who did you barrack for when you were growing up?
I didn’t really barrack for a team. I used to watch the winners & listen to the games on the radio. They tended to feature Collingwood, Carlton, North Melbourne & Essendon frequently in those days.
So, how did a skinny kid from Darwin find his way to Melbourne & the VFL?
I was playing seniors for Nightcliff when I was 15 years old. I played representative football for the Northern Territory in the Teal Cup & National Schoolboy’s Championships. In the 1981 Carnival in Brisbane I was the runner up in the Schoolboy’s Carnival.
When I turned 16 a number of clubs including Richmond, North Melbourne, Essendon, Carlton & Footscray approached me.
Why Footscray?
They were the last ones to approach me actually, but they had a ‘Form 4’ which I signed, it was a spur of the moment decision.
When did you come down to Melbourne?
I came in 1982, but couldn’t play the first 6 games as Nightcliff held up my clearance.
Why did they do that?
They wanted money.
Did they get it?
Yeah, they got $40,000 over 3 years.
How did you adjust after that?
Well actually, the club had gotten a number of juniors & threw us together & said they had a few of the best young kids in the country, including Stephen MacPherson, Steve Wallis, Mark Noble & myself.
I played the last 5 or 6 games in the Reserves under Don McKenzie & despite missing many games I finished 5th in the U19’s Best & Fairest.
When did you play your first game for the seniors?
I had been playing in the Reserves for most of 1983, but got my first senior game in round 12 against Geelong at the Whitten Oval. I was as nervous as a kitten beforehand.
How did we go?
We won by 2 goals or so (WB 102 d Geel 91) & I kicked 2 goals.
You wore #51 in that game & throughout your career with the Bulldogs. Ever get the chance to change numbers?
Yes, but this is a bit embarrassing. I was offered #3, but didn’t really know who Teddy Whitten was, so I thought no, I’ll make a career in my own number. I did want to wear #8 as that was my number in juniors, but Rick Kennedy had that.
You played 95 games for Footscray, but there were many injuries along the way.
Yes, the first fifty odd flew, then it was a never ending process there for a while of injuries to my ankle, which was chronic & my knee. I had 8 operations & only played 33 games in 4 seasons.
Why did you end up leaving the club?
At the end of 1990 I was presented with a new contract offer which frankly was laughable. I could have made more money playing for Wodonga.
There was speculation that I was to be traded to West Coast, but with less than an hour before trades closed Footscray decided not to proceed. West Coast then got Dale Kickett instead from Fitzroy for Joe Cormack & David O’Connell plus a pick.
Why did Footscray say no to the deal?
I have no idea. I tried desperately to talk with Terry Wheeler, but he wasn’t able to take my calls.
Couldn't or wouldn't?
I don't know.
Did you feel let down by the club?
Yes, very, so I headed back to Darwin & if I didn’t get selected in the PSD I’d go down to Wodonga to assist Jeff Geischen.
Was there much interest in you at that time?
Yes, 10 clubs including Footscray spoke to me. I told Footscray if they selected me they would be wasting a pick as I wasn’t interested.
So you became a Bear.
Yes, Brisbane had first pick in the PSD & selected me.
Why didn’t you wear #51 at Brisbane?
I asked for it, but they didn’t go that high, so I asked for #8, but it was taken so I wore #19.
What did it feel like to play at the Western Oval against the Bulldogs?
I was as fired up for that game as any in my whole life. I played on 4 opponents, Libba, Bernard Toohey, Darren Baxter & I can’t recall the other, but I ended up with 40 touches, 20 kicks & 20 handballs.
What were some of your career highlights?
I won the Brisbane Best & Fairest in my first season in 1991 playing in the midfield. I came 5th in the Brownlow that year with 17 votes & was leading at the halfway mark. I won it again in 1993 from the back pocket. I beat Nathan Buckley, who had taken my midfield role, so that made even more special.
I also captained the Aboriginal All Stars team & coached them 3 times, which means so much to me.
Who were some of the best players you played with?
• Doug Hawkins – an absolute sensation, the best player I played with.
• Stephen MacPherson – he played to win & would die for you.
• Brad Hardie – can I claim half of his 1985 Brownlow Medal? When he roamed far & wide chasing kicks, I ended up manning up his direct opponent. A class player though.
• Tony McGuinness – an amazing work rate & penetrating left foot kick too.
• Brian Royal – also had a great work rate. Just knew how to get the ball.
• Rick Kennedy – he just played for the team, not himself.
• Jim Edmond – Jock was inspirational.
• Craig Lambert – terrific vision, tenacious & had good hands.
• Roger Merrett & Martin Leslie – it was like going to war, these two played to win.
• Michael Voss – he was only young, but you just knew he was something special.
• John Gastev – he was all class.
What about some of your opponents?
• Phil Krakouer – he was scary, you couldn’t take your eyes off him for a second & he could turn either way.
• Jimmy Krakouer – he was tough & his disposal was clean.
• Peter Daicos – it was a nightmare. You had to concentrate so hard you always finished the game with a headache.
• Maurice Rioli – he was all class in whatever he did.
• Mark Bairstow & Craig Bradley – when I went into the midfield these two were tough as Damien Bourke & Justin Madden usually gave them first use of the ball & they both anticipated so well & were often ahead of the ball before it got there.
Who coached you?
• Mick Malthouse – A strong character & he had players playing for him. Very big on winning the contested aspect of footy.
• Terry Wheeler – he was OK, did a good job with the group he had.
• Robert Walls – I loved Wallsy. He did a terrific amount of work for the group in the early Brisbane days & went along way towards the development of the side Leigh ultimately inherited.
• John Northey - I didn’t have a lot to do with him as I was often injured.
What have you done since you retired in 1997?
I returned to Darwin for a year & then went back to Brisbane as Leigh Matthews’s first appointment. For 2 years. I have coached in both Queensland & Darwin since.
Do you still follow the footy?
Yes, I have a soft spot for my 2 old teams so I like them to do well. It’s good when the Bulldogs come to Darwin as I catch up with Rocket who I got to know at Brisbane when he was coach of the reserves in 1991 & also Aker.
I can often remember you doing weights at the club way back when & you had 3 little boys, who were as quiet as church mice. They used to get looked after in the office & draw & colour in. How old are they now?
They are all grown up, Mark is 23, Gavin is 22 & Jaimie is 18. They like to see their Dad’s 2 old teams do well. I also have a 7 year old daughter, Haylee who is only just starting to realise that her Dad played footy for a living.
Thanks Magic, but I can’t let you go without asking you about the 1985 Preliminary Final, what can you remember?
I was the youngest player in the team & kicked a couple of goals. It was all going so well until the master came on & shattered our dreams. We really felt we had Essendon’s measure that year & should have won.
Thanks for your time Magic.
You’re welcome.