Australian Football

Peter McLean somewhat perversely managed to be a member of two VFL premiership-winning teams but only spent two quarters on the field of play. In 1964 he was named nineteenth man for the Melbourne side which overcame Collingwood on grand final day, but he spent the entire match warming the bench. Four years later he was twentieth man for Carlton as they fronted up Essendon in the flag decider and this time round he got the nod at half time from coach Ron Barassi to replace the injured Kevin Hall.

Lining up on a half back flank, McLean did everything that could be asked of him, and was an integral part of a premiership triumph as the Blues fended off the Bombers by three points.

Peter McLean’s principal strength as a player was his versatility, and this might paradoxically have undermined his prospects as he was perhaps seen as ‘a jack of all trades and master of none’. Nevertheless, he got to do something very few others have managed - run out onto the MCG in front of 117,000 spectators, and end up savouring the sweet taste of premiership success.

Author - John Devaney