Veteran prop Jordan McLean has confirmed he will retire from the NRL following North Queensland’s clash with the Brisbane Broncos in Townsville on Saturday night.
http://gty.im/2171925180The 33-year-old brings the curtain down on a decorated 13-season career spanning 241 first grade appearances across two clubs.
McLean debuted with the Melbourne Storm in 2013, going on to play 86 matches and featuring in their 2017 premiership-winning side. He then joined the Cowboys in 2018, where he became a mainstay of the forward pack and has since played 155 games in North Queensland colours.
On the representative stage, McLean earned eight Test caps for Australia but was unable to crack the NSW State of Origin side.
His career has not been without controversy — McLean was involved in the 2014 tackle that left Newcastle Knights forward Alex McKinnon with C4/C5 vertebrae fractures, an incident that cast a long shadow over the game.
http://gty.im/451019202Despite that moment, McLean will be remembered as a reliable and uncompromising front-rower who brought consistency and leadership to two NRL clubs.
His retirement will leave a significant hole in the Cowboys’ forward rotation, while closing the chapter on one of the last active members of Melbourne’s 2017 premiership squad.
