McLean, 23, stated his desire to lead the Demons in the coming years, despite a chequered record that last year cost him his spot in the leadership group.
"With the leadership group and the way the club has evolved over the past few years in terms of the leadership group and our leadership system, I think I'm heading in the right direction," McLean told One HD's One Week at a Time on Monday night.
"If I'm the right person for the job, whenever ‘Junior’ (McDonald) steps down or decides that he doesn't want it, then I would love to do it."
McLean was kicked out of the leadership group in the pre-season of 2008 following a string of embarrassing indiscretions that included a highly-publicised bar fights in Greece and Germany, a burnout in Trinity Grammar's car park, and a speeding fine.
He said he had learned from the incidents and was now ready to consider himself a future captain of his club.
"They were all probably wake up calls that I needed," he said.
"It took me those things to realise that you're now in the spotlight, you're an AFL footballer – there are things you need to do off the field as well as on the field.
"It was just the good kick up the bum I needed."
McLean has been consistent this year and has noticeably reduced his weight, which he believes is a reflection of a changed approach to his training.
"I'm not the fittest I've been; I probably wasn't able to run before Christmas because of the reconstruction I had on my ankle last year," he said.
"I probably spent a little bit too much time in the gym ... when I get in the gym too much, I put on too much bulk.
"I've focused on not doing too many weights the past couple of weeks and I've lost about three or four kilos.
"You've got to be able to run so much more these days and I haven't lost that much strength, which is a good thing, and I just feel a lot more comfortable when I'm running now."
He also said he felt the side's mentality was different to what it was last season when facing opponents each week.
"I think we're a lot more confident in the effort we're going to put out on the park," he said.
"Last year, you'd go into games thinking, 'Are we going to be competitive today or are we not?'
"Coming back earlier, halfway through October, has given us the confidence to go into games and be competitive each week."
He said the Demons weren't concerned about the fact that four wins or less this year would ensure them picks one and two in the November draft.
"Tanking isn't a word in our vocabulary at the Melbourne football club. It's just a word that the media use," he said.
"We're certainly trying to build a winning culture, and going out with our attitude to compete and to do the best we can."
McLean named young guns Jamie Bennell, Jack Watts, James Strauss and Jack Grimes as players to watch from the club.
