Majak Daw still has to answer the question about whether he can play

THE decision to find Majak Daw not guilty of rape paves the way for North Melbourne to retain him on their list. But the question still remains: can he play?

Majak Daw leaves the County Court in Melbourne. Picture: Andy Brownbill

NOT for the first time Wayne Carey’s blunt but insightful football wisdom might win out in the end.

Less than 24 hours after Majak Daw’s breakout performance — six sensational goals in 2013 against the Western Bulldogs — Carey said he would never make it.

The football world had “Majak Mania”, and yet Carey said his lack of football nous meant he would never get to 50 AFL games.

Two and a half years on from that Round 7, 2013 performance, Daw has played just 12 more senior games for a tally of only 16.

He remains a football enigma.

On Thursday after an eight-day Country Court trial the 24-year-old was found not guilty of raping a teenage girl when he was 16.

That decision paves the way for North Melbourne to retain him on their list, albeit as a rookie who is likely on his last chance at the Roos.

Few players are capable of his jackheeled centre-bounce leaps or his barnstorming runs through the centre for majestic goals on the run.

And yet as he enters his sixth season at North Melbourne it is impossible to answer the question about whether he can play.

Those same question marks Carey threw up remain: does he have the tank to be a ruckman or does he have the nous and predictability to play as a key forward?

Majak Daw leaves the County Court after he was found not guilty of rape. Picture: Andy Brownbill

After just a single game for Daw in 2015 given Todd Goldstein’s rucking dominance, North Melbourne played possum in Round 23.

It rested nine of its best players including Goldstein, with Daw handed a second game some might have believed would be his last at the club.

Instead he exploded in his first game at North Melbourne as a starting ruckman rather than a back-up option.

He barrelled everyone in sight with eight crunching tackles, he outleaped Ivan Maric for 24 hit-outs, he burst from the centre square to goal after an explosive run.

After outmarking Maric at the top of the square for a second goal of the night, his career was seemingly alive again.

Given Goldstein is coming off one of the ruck craft’s more dominant years, it is hard to see him getting that chance without a key injury to the No.1 man.

As a forward he is behind Drew Petrie, Ben Brown, finals hero Jarrad Waite and probably Aaron Black, who ended up staying at North Melbourne despite rival offers.

What is in Daw’s favour is ruck backup Dan Currie’s move to the Gold Coast, which means he is the only real option if Goldstein goes down.

He is also in a strong position to be the club’s nominated rookie, which means he can be instantly elevated given the Roos only have 38 primary-listed players and six rookies.

Daw played just one game in 2015 and is on his last chance to prove himself at the Kangaroos. Picture: Mark Stewart

The summer must be spent on furthering game awareness as well as fitness, a key priority given he faded badly in that second half against Richmond’s Maric.

It is impossible to pass any judgment on the rape trial.

What is fact is that its timing overlapping the AFL’s last list lodgement meant the Roos had no chance to trade Daw.

That might have been his best chance of thriving, given plenty of clubs were looking for second-chance ruckmen in the draft.

Currie went to the Suns, Carlton secured Sun Daniel Gorringe and Giant Andrew Phillips, Jon Giles went to West Coast and the Cats took Zac Smith.

At the very least Daw has paved the trail for Sudanese footballers, with three more picked up in the rookie draft.

Essendon’s Gach Nyuon fled war-torn Sudan when he was 10 months old, and Richmond’s Mabior Chol escaped Sudan and then Egypt.

Brisbane Lion Reuben William’s first four years were spent growing up in a Kenyan refugee camp.

“Majak Mania” has dimmed or been totally extinguished since that remarkable night when he and Nic Naitanui lip up Subiaco as they went at it in the centre square.

This week’s events at least give him a chance to turn five years of struggle into a legitimate AFL career.

Originally published as Majak Daw still has to answer the question about whether he can play