Carlton’s Brock McLean will notch up his 150th AFL game in tomorrow night’s clash with Hawthorn at the MCG.

On the eve of the milestone McLean has revealed just how hard the road has been, admitting he battled with a troublesome ankle for almost three years.

McLean suffered the season-ending injury while he was still playing for Melbourne in 2008.

He was traded from Melbourne to Carlton at the end of 2009, and has told SEN that the ankle hampered his first few years with the Blues.

“I underestimated how bad my ankle was,” McLean said.

“I just thought I’d have the surgery, do the rehab and get back to playing the way I was before that, but it probably took three years for my ankle to be fully back to normal again.

“There were a few challenges along the way like playing the VFL … it shows who you really are as a person when you’re going through the tough times rather than the good ones.”

But with the injury behind him McLean’s career at Carlton has flourished. In 2012 he finished equal fourth in Carlton’s Best and Fairest, while last year he finished equal eighth.

At 28, McLean says he is still learning and growing as a footballer, crediting new midfield coach Dean Laidley with offering terrific guidance this year.

“Tunnel’s (Laidley’s) really good,” McLean said.

“He’s very blunt, he’s very honest and he’s a bit of a character, but he’s been really good for our midfield group this year.”

While McLean hopes to continue playing for some time to come, he has revealed that life post-football could be lived out of a suitcase, with plans to spend time travelling and living overseas.