McLean Manic To Make Amends
By DAVID ROWLANDS
NORTH SHORE TIMES - 23/4/2004
Brad McLean is hoping to be a contented yet weary young man by the time the sun goes down tomorrow.
That’s if he gets anywhere near his objectives for North Sydney’s Premier League match against Western Suburbs at North Sydney Oval.

“I want to make a thousand hit- ups and a million tackles,” he said through gritted teeth.
McLean’s manic sense of determination stems from a moment of madness a fortnight ago against Cronulla at Toyota Park.

The 20-year old prop barely lasted 10 seconds in that encounter. As the Sharks returned the ball from the kick-off, his intended tackle went awry as the ball carrier ducked at the last second and McLean made contact around the head. It was the first time that he had been sent-off in his entire career.

“I was in complete disbelief — at first I thought the referee was joking,” McLean said. “That sort of thing doesn’t happen in your worst nightmare — I felt a bit unlucky because he was ducking into the tackle and there was no malice in it, just bad timing.”

That evening turned out to be a bitter-sweet one for the Pennant Hills product who returned to Norths this season after straying to Manly in 2003. Despite his dismissal, the Bears rebounded from a 20-0 deficit to record an inspirational four-point victory.

While feeling “ecstatic for the boys”, McLean remained so distraught that he couldn’t bring himself to head out for a drink to celebrate the side’s first — and to date, only — win of the year.

Having served a one-game suspension, McLean is itching to make his mark tomorrow, stating that he “really wants to be the best player on the field”.

“I feel like I let everyone down (against Cronulla), so I’m extremely keen to make up for it.

“I definitely owe the boys some thing special this week.”

McLean won’t be flying solo in his mission against the Maggies because the club in general has promised a special effort on a day when all four of their teams will feature on the same bill.

The under-l and under-18s representative outfits will tackle the Bulldogs, prior to the Jersey Flegg and Premier League welcoming Wests, with the main game kicking off at 3pm.
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