Brock McLean Biography

Brock McLean says he was blindsided by Carlton's decision to delist him after he had a positive conversation about his future with coach Mick Malthouse late last season.

"He was of the view that he wanted me around next year and that I was a required player," McLean told SEN radio.

"So I walked away from that thinking, 'Yep, great I want to play on next year and it sounds like Mick wants me here, so that's good'.

"And then my exit meeting at the end of the year probably went even better. Rob Wiley (director of development and coaching) was very positive and Mick was very positive and so was (high performance manager) David Buttifant.

"So I walked away with the view that I was going to be around next year and there would be a contract available on the table sooner rather than later."

But while on holidays in Copenhagen, McLean received a text message from his manager Adam Ramanauskas that indicated he was unlikely to be offered a new deal.

Shortly afterwards, Carlton's general manager of football operations contacted McLean and confirmed the news.

"Andy McKay rang me after that and we had a pretty heated discussion and he basically said the same thing that 'Rama' said it was more likely than not," McLean said.

"The last morning I left London and got a call from 'Macca' again and he said 'Yeah mate, we're going to delist you', so it changed up a bit.

"I'm certainly not angry or bitter or anything like that, but I was just disappointed how it was all handled.

"How I was sort of told one thing and led to believe one thing and Adam Ramanauskas my manager was told another thing, so there was no real transparency or honesty amongst the whole conversation or the whole situation."

Mitch Robinson, Brock McLean and Kane Lucas will be available to rival clubs as delisted free agents from November 1 after being delisted by Carlton.

"After 100 games with Carlton it is time for Mitch to have a fresh start and we wish him all the best in his football future," Carlton football manager Andrew McKay said.

"Brock has been a loyal servant of our football club and was in our leadership group this year, while Kane is a terrific young man but unfortunately he struggled to cement a spot in our senior side this season.

"On behalf of the club, I wish all of these players the very best for the future."

Brock McLean is on the verge of signing a one-year contract extension, just months after he intended to retire.

McLean, 28, was languishing in the VFL earlier in the season and had told coach Mick Malthouse he wanted to end his 11-year career.

But after returning to the seniors to play 16 games, the love has returned for the robust midfielder, and Carlton are set to offer him a new deal.

McLean told News Limited a meeting with a sports psychologist had helped him turn the corner.

"I think being dropped to the VFL might have spurred me on a little bit," he said.

"I'm a bit of a proud person and I sort of said to myself: 'Well, if you're going to go out, you're not going to go out like this'.

"I'm back in love with the game again."

Brock McLean says he understands the reality of his status as an AFL player.

"I'm not feeling the pressure, but early on in the year I probably wasn't enjoying football as much as I have in my career, so that was a little bit of a battle for me and my form probably reflected that as well," McLean said.

"I'm 28 now, so I'm under no illusion that I'm a year-by-year prospect and footy these days is a pretty cut-throat industry and I'm fully aware of that.

"At the end of the year we'll sit down and we'll have a chat about the future but right now that's not on my mind."

McLean was recently criticized for staying on the bench after being subbed rather than listening to Mick Malthouse's three-quarter-time address, after which he was subsequently dropped from the side.

"I was actually unaware that you could actually walk out on the ground as a sub," McLean explains.

"(It was a) complete misunderstanding, but that's what the media do, they talk about irrelevant points.

"If I was actually a sook, I would have sooked three years ago when I was getting best on ground in the VFL every week and not getting a game in the AFL. I never sooked once then, so all of a sudden why am I going to start now.

"So that was a little bit bemusing, but as I said I don't care what other people think so they can talk about me all they want."

Brock McLean continues his support for gay rights at the Midsumma Festival.

"I think we're slowly starting to see more players on an international level come out, and it is only a matter of time," McLean said.

"But until that happens we need to create an environment where if someone is thinking about coming out with their sexuality, then they feel comfortable doing so and feel that they are going to be welcomed with open arms."

Carlton has announced an expanded eight-man leadership group for 2014 to be headed by second-year captain Marc Murphy.

Andrew Carrazzo and Kade Simpson will be joint vice-captains, while defender Michael Jamison returns to the group after 12 months in the role of deputy vice-captain.

As well as Jamison, Bryce Gibbs, Lachie Henderson, Brock McLean and Andrew Walker are new inclusions for 2014.

"We have the experienced leadership of Simpson and Carrazzo, together with Brock McLean who is a strong voice both on and off the field," Blues general manager of football operations Andrew McKay said.

"After 12 months out of the leadership group, Bryce Gibbs and Michael Jamison return, which is great to see, because they're two very important and respected figures within the playing group.

"We're also pleased to see Andrew Walker and Lachie Henderson step up – both have come off a terrific season in 2013, finishing second and third respectively in the best and fairest."

Brock McLean, whose sister is gay, calls for more support for gay and lesbian people and says he will participate in the Melbourne's coming annual gay and lesbian Pride March.

"If there's anyone yelling homophobic taunts, those people should be banned from footy for life," McLean said.

"You hear, 'you weak poof, you ******' from supporters who use it as a term for someone who might go in soft … which is just mind-blowing because it's totally irrelevant and totally far from the truth.

''AFL players who do it should be made an example of, fined and suspended. We need to say this isn't acceptable and set an example not just for the football community but for the rest of the community.''

Carlton midfielder Brock McLean signs a new one-year deal with the club.

"Not so long ago Brock was playing good footy in the VFL and would get the call up, only to go back when we didn't play well," Blues football manager Andrew McKay said.

"But his attitude never changed, he just kept on keeping on and in the end the coaches just had to pick him.

"He worked very hard, made the most of it, and to hear the cheer ring out from the crowd every time his name was called out at the [best and fairest] was fantastic."

Brock McLean has revealed he left Melbourne because he believed the club was tanking.

"Circumstances that happened in the second half of the year (2009) never really sat well with me," McLean said.

"They don't call it tanking, we would call it 'experimenting' or whatever it was. It just went against everything I was taught as a kid, taught as a footballer and as a person."

The AFL wants to speak to Brock McLean after his sensational allegations about Melbourne and tanking.

"The AFL has resolved that this matter will be addressed by the general manager of football operations, Adrian Anderson," AFL chief executive officer Gillon McLachlan said.

Brock McLean's miracle goal inside the final minute sees the Blues claim a four-point win over Richmond.

With just a minute remaining, Richmond defender Steven Morris ignored a shoulder problem to win a critical contest against four-goal forward Eddie Betts, only to send the ball out of bounds on the full.

McLean took a mark from the resultant free kick and, from outside the 50m arc, kicked long looking for Levi Casboult, but the ball sailed over the tall forward and bounced through for the match-winning goal.

Brock McLean vows to be smarter with his use of social media, but says he won't stifle his individuality.

"The idea of getting on social media is to connect with the fans with a more personal interaction and to get yourself out there and actually be yourself rather than doing the normal footy interview and saying 'one week at a time' and 'get recovery right' … and all that sort of stuff," he said.

"People complain, mainly media people, about players being boring, but as soon as you say something a bit different or speak your mind or speak an honest truth suddenly they tarnish you a little bit or give you a bit of a bad whack."

Carlton midfielder Brock McLean is set to land in hot water after posting an offensive tweet in response to a comment he objected to.

"I was disappointed in the cowardly remark and responded as such," McLean said.

"I realised it was not suitable and took it down and apologise for offending anyone with the tweet in the short time it was up."

McLean had initially posted a Twitter update about his day: "Today can f--- right off."

When another Twitter user responded, "Did you finally get delisted", McLean responded with: "No, your mum has given me aids."

Carlton have suspended Brock McLean for one match after his offensive remark on Twitter.

McLean will also be required to undertake an education program and make a donation of $5,000 to an appropriate charity.

"We met with Brock in relation to the comments and also reminded him of the responsibilities that go with being an AFL player and the importance of remembering he is a representative of the Carlton Football Club and the AFL," Carlton general manager of football operations Andrew McKay said.

Marc Murphy's injury has opened the door for out-of-favour Brock McLean to make a mark at AFL level with the Blues.

"In the past I've seen blokes who've been in good form, who haven't got games and have gone away and sulked. That does nothing for the team, nothing for that person," McLean said about regularly being overlooked for selection.

"The true test of a person's character is when things aren't going well and they're against you a bit. The best way to be is to stay positive and hang in there because you never know when an opportunity presents itself."

Brock McLean continues to struggle to cement a place in the Blues' senior side as he makes way for rookie Ed Curnow coming back from injury.

"It's unfortunate for Brock that he's lost his spot, but he lost his spot to the injured player that he replaced," Carlton football manager Stephen Icke said.

"Ed's form was very, very good up to the point that he got injured and Brock basically came in for Ed, so given that he was in the team for Ed, when Ed was available, then Brock comes out."

Carlton midfielder Brock McLean is set to return to the Blues side after an injury to Ed Curnow and finding form in the VFL.

''I think it was a bout continuity in Brock's game. Because he couldn't get that continuity of playing every week and allowing his body to get through a month of footy (but now) he's done that," Carlton coach Brett Ratten said.

''He's had four or five weeks where he's had pretty much 30 possessions plus at VFL level, played high game time and done a great job for the team down there. Not just with his winning the ball, but his spread and run. He just looks like he's back to AFL intensity.''

Carlton midfielder Brock McLean says despite a slow start to his pre-season training he will be ready for the start of next season.

"I've got to take more of the tortoise approach this year, just slow and steady," McLean said.

"I won't do much before Christmas and then after Christmas really ramp it up and get set for a big season."

Carlton coach Brett Ratten is confident midfielder Brock McLean still has a role to play this year, despite more knee surgery.

"It's still alive, he's just had a day procedure there, so he won't have too many hiccups with that," Ratten said.

"He might miss an extra week, but he should play not this week coming but the following week."

Carlton's Brock McLean will undergo further knee surgery but is still hoping to return before season's end.

Brock McLean will undergo knee surgery that will keep him out for four weeks and says his injury plagued season has been frustrating after wanting to impress at his new club Carlton.

"It has been frustrating and of course there are the expectations of supporters, but for me it's more about the expectations I put on myself," McLean said.

"I understand supporters wanting me to play well, that's fair enough. Hopefully, I will get the chance (when I come back) to play games in a row and get some form."

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey says he is surprised that Carlton dropped former Demon Brock McLean for the clubs' clash on Saturday.

"I know that he's played through these type of injuries before, so it must be a little bit more serious than perhaps they're letting on," Bailey said.

"I'm sure Brock would be keen to go and keen to play this week but I think they've got their legitimate reasons why he's not. We'll have to wait for next year."

Brock McLean says he's rediscovered his enthusiasm at Carlton after football became "a drag" in his last weeks at Melbourne.

"I'm back to enjoying what I'm doing," he told BigPond Sports Weekend.

"Footy became a bit of a drag the last four to six weeks of the year last year. The fresh start and the fresh club has just done me the world of good and I'm looking forward to the season proper now."

Swan Brett Kirk offered to shake hands with Carlton's Brock McLean at the start of their NAB Cup game in Blacktown, only for McLean to ignore it.

"He never shakes hands before a game, always after, and Kirky was aware of that and that's why he made a fuss," a Carlton spokesman said.

McLean was seen shaking Kirk's hand after the Swans won convincingly with McLean having a decidedly poor game.

Brock McLean requesting a trade to Carlton during the exchange period was a surprise to his teammates, says Cale Morton.

"It was disappointing to lose Brock, a leader of the footy club. When he's playing his best footy, he's a good player and he'll be missed," Morton said.

Brock McLean is a Blue and Melbourne has another first-round draft pick, after the two clubs finally sealed their long-discussed trade.

"The deal was very clean - Brock for 11," Demons list manager Tim Harrington said.

"We're happy that we're rebuilding the club and get ourselves some prime picks in the draft."

Carlton list manager Steven Icke says medical screenings must still be completed before the Brock McLean deal is done.

"We're not going to sign off on that until such time as we've done all of our due diligence," Blues list manager Steven Icke said.

"If that takes an extra little while, then we'd rather get it right and tick every box, before we get the paperwork lodged."

Brock McLean says a realisation he was not fully committed to Melbourne made him look to Carlton for a new beginning to his career.

"There were a few little contributing factors, but at the end of the day I just felt deep down in my gut that a change would be the best thing for me," he told SEN radio.

"If I wasn't 100 per cent happy, and 100 per cent committed to the footy club - which I wasn't - then I thought I was wasting the club's time and I was wasting my time".

Carlton coach Brett Ratten says Brock McLean will more strength at the contests when he joins the Blues from Melbourne.

"It is certainly exciting to know we will be adding such a quality midfielder to our playing group in 2010," Ratten said.

"At just 23 years of age, Brock is still a young player and has great experience that will assist our young playing group. He is a fantastic in-close player and I am sure the likes of Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Kade Simpson and the like will benefit from his ability to get the ball out to them."

Melbourne has agreed in principle to trade Brock McLean to Carlton for the Blues' No.11 pick in the national draft.

"It is very disappointing to lose a player of Brock's calibre," Melbourne list manager Tim Harrington said.

"Once Brock made this decision it was important that we secured a commensurate trade and this has been achieved."

McLean is reported to be frustrated with his role at the success-starved Melbourne as a run-with player while also being asked to take a pay cut.

Melbourne coach Dean Bailey says Brock McLean and Jack Grimes will have to prove their fitness at training on Thursday with the two having missed games due to a knee and back injury respectively.

Melbourne midfielder Brock McLean says tonight's clash against Essendon is all about redemption after the club's Queen's Birthday thrashing.

"There is a lot of redemption to it. Especially after our performance last week, and when you do have a pretty bad performance, you want to get on and try to redeem yourself pretty quickly," McLean said.

Jack Watts reveals that he suffered a bloody initiation in the boxing ring against Brock McLean three weeks after arriving at Melbourne.

"I didn't really know the boys too well," Watts said.

"That was probably the best thing for me to do to try to gain a bit of respect. You've got to go through that process when you first get to the club.

"I'd never had a fight in the school yard or pulled the gloves on. A push and shove on the footy ground, that's about it."

Demon Brock McLean says with his personal life in order he can now go on and captain the club.

"With the leadership group and the way the club has evolved over the past few years in terms of the leadership group and our leadership system, I think I'm heading in the right direction," McLean told One HD's One Week at a Time.

"If I'm the right person for the job, whenever 'Junior' (McDonald) steps down or decides that he doesn't want it, then I would love to do it."

The AFL has renewed calls for players to avoid umpire contact amid revelations of a serious spinal injury to experienced whistle-blower Mathew Nicholls.

Nicholls, 31, was pole-axed after backing away from a centre bounce, with Richmond's Shane Tuck making contact to his back after tangling with Demons opponent Brock McLean.

Melbourne midfielder Brock McLean is back in the AFL club's leadership group after being stood down last year for disciplinary reasons.

Brock McLean loses his leadership role after being caught speeding in his V8 ute while driving back from the Demons' practice match against the Bulldogs in Bendigo.

"This is very disappointing for Brock. He is seen by the match committee to have outstanding leadership qualities. However, this behaviour was deemed by his peers to be unacceptable," Melbourne football manager Chris Connolly said.