The son of a former Sydney Roosters and Queensland State of Origin footy player will be sentenced for commercial cocaine supply – totalling almost 1kg – after a second, more serious charge, was dropped.

Joch McLean, 28, was arrested in November 2021 after police responded to reports of a domestic incident at his Manly unit and discovered an alleged haul of cocaine hidden in a set of tupperware, alongside a set of kitchen scales. He was not charged with any domestic violence offence.

Joch McLean 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 more than 50 games for Eastern Suburbs and represented Queensland Maroons in State of Origin five times.

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.

On Thursday, at Downing Local Court, Joch McLean was committed to be sentenced for commercial quantity drug supply at the Sydney District Court, a charge which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years jail.

According to facts tendered to court, officers found the drugs after they saw him rummaging through a large multi-coloured bag.

Inside a buckaroo bag, itself inside the multi-coloured bag, police allegedly found 987g of cocaine inside plastic takeaway containers and a yellow plastic bowl. They also found a hairdryer and a set of kitchen scales.

Forensic analysis of the cocaine revealed there was 388g inside the bowl – of 68 per cent purity – and 303g and 296g inside the two containers – of 57 per cent and 75 per cent purity.

A second charge, however, of large-scale commercial supply was dropped by the DPP.

Joch McLean, who is represented by the firm of high-profile lawyer Paul McGirr, will be sentenced next year. He is yet to enter a formal plea.