Victoria's independent racing tribunal handed down the ban after McLean admitted to doping former Brierly Steeplechase winner Cats Fun with EPO.

He pleaded guilty to two charges, one of administering EPO to Cats Fun between July 1, 2009 to December 17, 2013 and July 18, 2014 to October 27, 2014, and one surrounding the possession of the drug. Two other charges were dropped.

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Cats Fun, owned by a syndicate of locals, McLean and his jockey brother Brad, were the toast of the town after they won the Brierly at Warrnambool's May Racing Carnival in 2013.

Racing.com is reporting barrister Jason Gullaci told Friday's hearing that his client had accepted the seriousness of his offending.

Mr Galluci said McLean had come to terms that his training career was over.

McLean has not trained since October 2019, when he was stood down, and has been working a number of jobs, including as a truck driver and in a pizza restaurant.

"It is fair to say Mr McLean has come to the understanding and realisation that his training career is over. He will not train race horses again," Mr Gullaci was quoted as saying by racing.com.

"That is a significant matter. Again ... it is something that has come about by his own actions, his own inappropriate actions and he will suffer the consequences."

A police investigation which led to a warrant served on McLean's property in January 2019 discovered the syringes containing EPO, which was found to have been administered to Cats Fun.

Erythropoietin, or EPO, as it is more commonly known, is a hormone produced naturally by humans and animals. It is released from the kidneys and acts on the bone marrow to stimulate red blood cell production. An increase in red blood cells improves the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry to muscles. Used illegally, EPO gives an unnatural performance enhancement.

McLean was disqualified for three years on the administration charge and two years for the possession charge. Judge John Bowman and panel members Judy Bourke and Des Gleeson ordered the two penalties be served concurrently.

It was the penalty stewards had sought and one that McLean's representatives did not contest.

"The administration of EPO is a particularly serious offence and can have a dramatic effect on a horse. The administration of this has no purpose other than to affect performance," Judge Bowman said when handing down the penalty.

"Apart from damaging the concept of a level playing field, there are associated risks to the welfare of horses and jockeys. There is no excuse for administration. The injection of it as occurs here requires a wilful act, a wilful attempt to obtain an unfair advantage without regard to risk and welfare.

"(The possession charge) is also a very serious offence but ranks below the actual administration."

Judge Bowman said McLean had "fallen a long way from a position of a very successful trainer".

McLean is still facing other police charges, including alleged animal cruelty offences.