[2] He attended Caulfield Grammar School from 1943 to 1953,[3] where he distinguished himself as both a cricketer and as a footballer,[4] playing in both the school's First XI, aged 14,[5] where he played alongside Bill O'Halloran,[6] and its First XVIII, aged 16.
[7] He was recruited by St Kilda from Caulfield Grammar School in 1954.
He played well in a number of St Kilda's senior pre-season practice matches,[8][9][10] and went on to play the entire 1954 season in the St Kilda (under-19) Third XVIII.
Having trained well in the preseason, McLaren made his senior debut in the first match of the 1955 season, against Melbourne, at the Junction Oval, on 16 April 1955 on the half-back flank;[11] St Kilda lost the match 8.11 (59) to 17.16 (118).
[16] He injured his ankle in the early part of the 1956 season and did not play again.