The heavy-hitting career of rugby league's Jordan McLean
In short: From a junior player in New South Wales to a world champion prop, Jordan McLean’s career was defined by both grand final glory and the intense physical toll of the NRL. Discover the journey of a player who navigated championship victories and the sport's most difficult moments.
Born in Sydney in 1991, Jordan McLean rose through the ranks of the Young Cherrypickers before joining the Canberra Raiders system. His professional ascent saw him move through the Melbourne Storm's youth ranks, where he secured a premiership with the NYC team in 2009, eventually making his NRL debut in 2013 against the Sydney Roosters.
McLean’s tenure at Melbourne was marked by significant achievement and controversy. He was a member of the 2017 NRL Grand Final winning team and reached the pinnacle of international play as part of Australia’s 2017 Rugby League World Cup winning squad. However, the 2014 season brought a harrowing moment when a tackle involving McLean and teammates Jesse and Kenny Bromwich resulted in severe spinal fractures for Newcastle's Alex McKinnon. While McLean expressed his sympathies publicly, the NRL Judiciary issued him a seven-match suspension, a decision his lawyer, Nick Ghabar, contested by arguing the incident was an accident.
After moving to the North Queensland Cowboys in 2018, McLean became a cornerstone of their forward pack. He served as vice-captain in 2019 and captained the side four times during the 2020 season. Despite facing various injuries, including a four-month foot injury in 2018 and several hamstring setbacks, he remained a consistent force, earning the Cowboys' Players' Player award in 2019. Following his retirement announcement in August 2024, the Cowboys announced he would join their transition team for Under 20s players in November 2025.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Jordan McLean
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