Joch McLean: Ex Rooster, State of Origin Maroon Mike McLean appears at court with cocaine-accused son

A former Sydney Rooster and State of Origin Maroon appeared at a Sydney court to support his cocaine-supply-accused son, who police allege is the owner of 1.3kg of cocaine found in a northern beaches unit.

Joch McLean (right) and father Mike McLean (left), a former State of Origin rep and Sydney Roosters player, outside Downing Local Court on December 1.

A former rugby league great appeared at a Sydney court on Thursday to support his cocaine-supply-accused son, who NSW Police allege was found with a significant haul of cocaine at his northern beaches unit.

Joch McLean, 27, of Manly, is the son of high-profile former Sydney Rooster second-rower Mike McLean. The elder McLean had a distinguished rugby league career in the 1980s and ‘90s, playing over a half century of games for the then Eastern Suburbs as well as representing the Queensland Maroons five times in State of Origin.

Known as The Paddle Pop Lion due to his prominent curly mullet, Mike McLean was the runner-up for the Dally M medal to Cronulla’s Gavin Miller in 1988.

His son Joch McLean was arrested in November 2021 and is faces one charge of drug supply - commercial quantity.

Joch McLean appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday, supported by his father, where his matter was adjourned for one week, listed for committal.

Joch McLean outside Downing Local Court on December 1.

(L-R) Joch McLean and father Mike McLean, a former State of Origin rep player, outside Downing Local Court on December 1.

Police allege Joch McLean is the owner of 1.3kg of cocaine that investigators recovered from his Manly unit when they were called there following a domestic violence complaint on November 18 2021.

Joch McLean is charged with two counts of drug supply.

Mike McLean, who appeared at court today to support his son, evades Laurie Daley in the 1991 State of Origin series. Picture: Supplied

The Weekend Telegraph previously reported how police alleged officers found the drugs when they attended Joch McLean’s Victoria Pde unit in relation to an alleged domestic violence incident, when they allegedly saw him rummaging through a large multi-coloured bag, court documents said.

Inside a buckaroo bag, itself inside the multi-coloured bag, police allegedly found 1.3kg of cocaine inside plastic takeaway containers and a yellow plastic bowl.

Police alleged that 120g of the cocaine was also loose at the bottom of the bag.

Joch McLean is represented by the firm of high-profile lawyer Paul McGirr, who previously said in court that police had not provided any evidence that the cocaine belonged to his client.

The matter was adjourned to December 8.