Willie McLean is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who played professionally for the North Sydney Bears.

Playing career

Marist Saints The Marist Saints is a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. They currently compete in the top grade in Auckland Rugby League, the Fox Memorial Premiership. History Founded in 1919, the Marist club first won the Fox Memorial in 1 ...

junior, McLean began his career with the

Waitakere City Raiders The Waitakere City Raiders were a New Zealand rugby league club that represented Waitakere City in the Lion Red Cup from 1994 to 1996. Notable players Notable players included;Rick Andrew Anthony Edwards, Boycie Nelson, David Bailey, Ben Ly ...

in the

Lion Red Cup The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994 to 1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being a ...

in 1994.''Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1994'', New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1994. He played for the Raiders throughout all three years of the tournaments existence. In 1995 McLean made the

New Zealand Residents The New Zealand Residents (also previously known as New Zealand 'A', New Zealand XIII, the Lion Red Cup XIII and currently known as the Bartercard Premiership Selection) are a New Zealand rugby league football representative side that is selected f ...

side when they played a warm up match against the New Zealand national rugby league team.''Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1995'', New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1995. In 1996 McLean played for Auckland in a match for the

Rugby League Cup The Rugby League Cup is a New Zealand rugby league trophy that is contested between districts on a challenge basis. The trophy used to be known as the Northern Union Challenge Cup. It is the oldest rugby league competition in New Zealand. Histo ...

, for North Zone against South Zone and for the

New Zealand XIII The New Zealand Residents (also previously known as New Zealand 'A', New Zealand XIII, the Lion Red Cup XIII and currently known as the Bartercard Premiership Selection) are a New Zealand rugby league football representative side that is selected f ...

in the Pacific Challenge.Pacific Challenge
''The Vault'' He also played at fullback for the Raiders in the

1996 Lion Red Cup The 1996 New Zealand rugby league season was the 89th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the final season of the Lion Red Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The ...

grand final, which the Raiders lost 34–22 to the

Counties Manukau Heroes The Counties Manukau rugby league team represents the Counties Manukau zone in the Albert Baskerville Trophy. Previously, teams representing Southern Auckland and the Franklin district of New Zealand have competed in the Lion Red Cup and Bartercar ...

.''Lion Red Rugby League Annual '96'', , New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1996. In 1997 he joined the North Sydney Bears and played with them for three seasons. He represented the Rest of the World side that year against

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McLean, Willie Living people New Zealand rugby league players Auckland rugby league team players 1973 births Waitakere rugby league team players North Sydney Bears players Rugby league fullbacks Rugby league centres Marist Saints players