'Take it with both hands': McLean ready if Blues call comes

Penrith centre Casey McLean admits he was tempted to play State of Origin with the NSW Blues but the tug to honour his New Zealand heritage was stronger.

The change in eligibility rules announced by the NRL in February, means the door for McLean has re-opened and he’s allowing himself to dream of what pulling on a Sky Blues jersey might feel like.

“If the phone call arose I wouldn’t turn it down but I’m focusing on my job at Penrith and taking it week by week and not thinking too far ahead,” he said following the Panthers’ overwhelming 50-10 win against four-time premiership winners Melbourne Storm on Good Friday.

“The thought had crossed my mind (turning down Origin initially) that I can’t represent the junior clubs in Penrith. But at the end of the day the decision wasn’t too hard because I wanted to represent my family and where I came from.

“I wanted to put on the black jersey and represent where my parents come from as a way of giving back to them.”

Despite his red-hot form over five rounds of 2026, McLean said he was so far yet to hear from NSW coach Laurie Daley or anyone else senior in the Blues coaching ranks - not even for a ‘touching base’ kind of conversation.

“No, I haven’t had that phone call… representing New Zealand is my first option,” he said.

“I’d hope (I’d be ready to go) if that phone call came but it just comes down what’s right for the Blues. I guess if the opportunity came I would take it with both hands.”

McLean can play either left or right centre, and with the shoulder injury to Bulldogs skipper and incumbent NSW centre Stephen Crichton, the calls will get louder to promote him.

He partnered brother Jesse in the centres for the winning NSW Under 19s side in 2024.

“Coach (Ivan Cleary) is really big on not limiting yourself, or being one-dimensional, and learning to attack and defend on both sides – it’s kind of a good skill to have," McLean said.

Not everyone is in the ‘McLean to Blues’ camp. His Penrith co-captain and reigning NSW halfback Nathan Cleary feels the calls are premature.

“I think that’s still a long way away, but what Casey is doing at the moment is quite incredible. He’s looking more and more dangerous each week and he’s starting to feel that confidence,” Cleary said.

“The fact he’s 19 is mind-blowing.” McLean will turn 20 later this month (April 24).

“It’s a testament to the work he’s putting in,” Cleary said. “He comes to training each week trying to get better.

“The combination they’ve got on that left edge with Blaize (Talagi, five-eighth), Isaiah (Papali’i, second rower), Casey and Milk (winger Tom Jenkins) is very fun to be a part of – the sky is the limit for them.”

The Penrith left edge is completely different from the foursome that won the 2024 NRL premiership just 18 months ago – five-eighth Jarome Luai, back rower Scott Sorensen, centre Paul Alamoti, and winger Sunia Turuva.

Ivan Cleary said after last Friday’s huge win that Talagi, McLean and Jenkins weren’t firing as much as the Panthers coaching staff had hoped in 2025.

“There was a time there last year where we were not winning games… and I remember thinking, ‘it’s probably asking a lot for these guys,” he said.

“But we decided that even while we were losing, we would keep them in and try to ride them through it. I added Isaiah out there this year.”

The left edge foursome has now scored 17 tries in five games, courtesy of Jenkins’ record haul of 12 – the first NRL player to score that many over the opening five rounds.

“I think last year was a really good learning for them, especially when we went well at the end of the year” Cleary said.

“They came through that and now they’re connecting well, and it should be noted their defending well too.”