Penrith rookie Casey McLean is to make his Test debut in the New Zealand Kiwis’ Pacific Championships clash against Papua New Guinea at CommBank Stadium in Sydney tomorrow (6.20pm kick-off local time; 8.20pm NZT).
The 18-year-old has been brought in to replace winger William Warbrick who has been ruled out with a thigh injury he picked up in last Saturday’s 24-25 loss to Tonga at Go Media Stadium in Auckland.
McLean will become the third youngest Test debutant in New Zealand rugby league history at the age of 18 years 200 days.
That leaves him behind only Dennis Williams and Thomas Leuluai.
Williams started at standoff against Great Britain in his first Test the day after his 18th birthday on September 25, 1971, marking it with a dazzling try in the Kiwis’ shock 18-13 win at the Willows in Salford.
Halfback Leuluai had played just 12 NRL games for the One New Zealand Warriors when he started his Test career from the bench at the age of 18 years 118 days in a stunning 30-16 win over the Kangaroos on October 18, 2003.
Sydney-born McLean is even less experienced than Leuluai was with only seven NRL appearances behind him after debuting for the Panthers against North Queensland on June 30 this year.
He was also on the wing that day but his other six matches have all been in his usual position in the centres. He scored three tries and averaged 121 metres a game with two try assists, four line breaks and 17 tackles breaks.
McLean’s New Zealand-born father Wiilie McLean, a Marist Saints junior in Auckland, played for Waitakere City in the now defunct Lion Red Cup and the New Zealand Residents before making first-grade NRL appearances for the North Sydney Bears from 1997-1999. He was selected in the Rest of the World team which played Australia in 1997.
Casey McLean’s 19-year-old brother Jesse made the first of his two appearances for Penrith last year. Of Māori heritage, the McLean brothers are nephews of former Kiwi Alex Chan and first cousins of Melbourne Storm forward – and 2023 Kiwis A representative – Joe Chan and France international Tiaki Chan.
