Hayden McLean had a brief window during the first part of last season where he looked like the best player on Sydney's list. The Swans had been looking for a tall to build their post-Franklin forward line around and, while McLean is a different beast as more of a forward/ruck than a genuine spearhead, his form hit a peak which he has not been able to reach since. He spent most of the first half of 2026 in the VFL, after the club recruited Charlie Curnow in the off season to fill that marquee goalscorer role. His recent return to the seniors is more about Brodie Grundy's need for support in ruck.
