SYDNEY is the latest club to gift an AFL opportunity to a state league player, committing to South Adelaide big man Hayden McLean for 2019.
AFL.com.au understands that while the tick of approval was pending with the AFL on Tuesday afternoon, McLean will join the Swans in place of injured defender Jack Maibaum.
As reported by AFL.com.au on Friday, McLean and former Collingwood key defender Sam McLarty underwent a medical screening in Sydney as the Swans weighed up their decision.
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Under the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP) introduced this year, clubs have the opportunity to place players on their long-term injury list and replace them prior to March 15.
It is understood Gold Coast is in the process of replacing defender Rory Thompson on its list, having already held over a spot from the rookie draft and losing Harrison Wigg to a knee injury.
Port Adelaide, which lost young midfielder Jake Patmore to a ruptured ACL at the weekend, will instead opt to carry the position on its list into the mid-season draft.
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Having lost Kurt Tippett at the end of last season, the addition of the 197cm McLean will add to Sydney's depth of talls for the upcoming season.
The 20-year-old forward/ruck impressed last year for Sandringham in the VFL, having previously represented Vic Metro and captained TAC Cup club Sandringham Dragons in 2017.
With Lance Franklin (groin) and Sam Naismith (knee) to miss round one and Darcy Cameron (knee) in doubt, the Swans' tall stocks will be tested in the early stages of the season.
Having been overlooked, McLarty will return to Williamstown for the VFL season in the hope of winning an AFL spot during the mid-season draft.
Other clubs with remaining list spots include Carlton, Gold Coast, GWS, Hawthorn and Melbourne.
McLean becomes the 10th player selected during the SSP, joining Michael Gibbons and Matthew Cottrell (Carlton) and Sydney Stack (Richmond) from outside the AFL system.
Former list players Mav Weller (Richmond), Shane Mumford (GWS), Zac Clarke (Essendon), Corey Wagner (Melbourne), Keegan Brooksby (West Coast) and Tom Campbell (North Melbourne) received recent lifelines.
