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AFL star Majak Daw in serious incident on Bolte Bridge

North Melbourne player Majak Daw is recovering in hospital after he fell from one of Melbourne’s tallest bridges on Monday night.

4 min read
December 18, 2018 - 12:50PM
Majak Daw of the Kangaroos.
Majak Daw of the Kangaroos.

North Melbourne star Majak Daw has been rescued by Victorian Emergency Services after he fell from the Bolte Bridge on Monday night.

Police told 3AW Radio emergency services discovered a man “at the edge of the water” after he was believed to have fallen near Lorimer St.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers were called to an incident at the Bolte Bridge about 11pm.

The major Melbourne roadway, which traverses the Yarra River near Melbourne’s Docklands precinct, is one of the city’s tallest bridges.

Daw is now recovering in hospital after the serious incident, the Herald Sun reports.

The report claims the 27-year-old suffered a broken hip when he fell from the bridge.

The injuries are not life-threatening.

A view of the Bolte Bridge.
A view of the Bolte Bridge.

An Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman told the Herald Sun the football star was now in a stable condition.

The area where Daw fell is more than 1.5 kilometers from the bridge’s southern entrance and is protected by a three-metre-tall chain link fence. There is no pedestrian access along the bridge.

The section of the Yarra River where Daw fell is surrounded by industrial sites and not easily accessible for emergency services.

Daw has not been training with North Melbourne teammates this pre-season as he continues to recover from ankle surgery in September.

He carried a fractured foot injury through most of the season.

The club initially expected Daw to make a full return to training with teammates on January 14 after the Christmas break.

He did not train with the rest of the club during the Roos’ public session at Arden Street Oval on Monday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Lorimer Street on Monday night.
Emergency services were called to Lorimer Street on Monday night.
The section of the Bolte Bridge is fenced off.
The section of the Bolte Bridge is fenced off.

The star tall was the original Sudanese poster boy for the AFL and he has since been joined in the league by fellow Sudanese stars Aliir Aliir (Sydney), Gach Nyuon (Essendon), Reuben William (Brisbane), and Richmond’s Mabior Chol.

The Sudanese refugee moved to Australia from Egypt in 2003 with his family after initially fleeing war-torn Sudan.

He has previously spoken glowingly about the role football has played in his life, saying he first began playing the iconic Aussie sport as a way of learning about his new community after settling in Werribee, in Melbourne’s west, as a 12-year-old with his parents and eight siblings.

In a video posted on North Melbourne’s website last month as part of a campaign by entertainment company Mushroom Group called Voice for Change, Daw spoke proudly of his passionate involvement in community work helping fellow Sudanese refugees in Australia.

Majak Daw did not train with Kangaroos teammates on Monday.
Majak Daw did not train with Kangaroos teammates on Monday.

Daw said he hoped to provide a link between his culture and Australian culture, especially at a time when the Sudanese community was under such scrutiny in Melbourne with allegations of gang violence among young people.

“While the topic of South Sudanese people is relevant in Melbourne, I think there needs to be someone who can stand up for the community and for the youth,” Daw said.

“I’m really invested in this community level stuff now, it’s my biggest passion.

“If I can inspire my brothers and sisters and other kids from the community then I’ll be pretty happy.”

He said high-profile athletes like himself and Aliir needed to keep setting an example for their community and he believed his upbringing in a war-torn country put him in a unique position to be a role model for young people who may be going through tough times.

“If you are going through some tough times, just know it’s not going to last. I can resonate with some of the issues that they’ve faced,” Daw said.

“Growing up I’ve had some positive and negative experiences myself and tough times won’t last but if I can just ride it through I’ll come out stronger and look back at those experiences and say I’ve been able to go through that, I can go through anything despite what the media might say or people’s opinions.”

Daw became one of the feel-good stories of the season in 2011 when he became the first Sudanese player to make it to the AFL.

After years of promise, he locked down a position as a key defender in the Kangaroos’ backline in 2018, making 18 senior appearances, taking his total AFL matches to 50.

Members of the AFL community publicly reached out to Daw on Tuesday morning, including Kangaroos legend and mental health advodate Wayne Schwass and Carlton star Sam Docherty.

North Melbourne released a statement late on Tuesday morning, confirming the club is providing support to the star footballer and his family.

“The North Melbourne Football Club can confirm Majak Daw is recovering in hospital after an incident last night,” the statement claimed.

“At this stage the full extent of his injuries are unknown, however he is in a stable condition.

“The club is providing full support to Majak and his family and will give a further update when it is in a position to do so.

“We understand the level of interest but ask the privacy of the player, his family, teammates and staff at the club be respected at this sensitive time.”

If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636. If it is an emergency, call triple-0

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-star-majak-daw-reportedly-in-serious-incident-on-bolte-bridge/news-story/aca50d8f973a4731c63924d300d56a4b