Since breaking into the A-League with Perth Glory in 2013, Maclaren has never shied away from a goal.

The 26-year-old has now scored 65 times across 104 A-League appearances in his career and his goals per game ratio of 0.625 putting him all-time fourth on the list of players with a minimum of 20 A-League appearances (however he will fall to fifth when Ola Toivonen plays his 20th A-League game against Adelaide United).  

The more recent 19 in 12, though, represents a height rarely reached in Australian football.

“I would have to say I’m in the best form I’ve had since I was about five years old scoring goals for Sunbury United,” Maclaren said.

“I’m in career-best form and whether it’s club or country, I just go out believing.

“It helps having coaches like Erick [Mombaerts] and Graham Arnold who give me faith and having top quality boys behind me that know my movements.

“I don’t need to sort of explain my move [to City], why I came back. [I’m a] Melbourne boy, proud to be from the city.

“In a way, I want to come and be a part of a club that is building their history and I want to be a hero for this club.

“I want to be a player that people remember in the city and just try and give back to Australian football because they’ve given me so much.”