Majak moment as big Roo gets recall

Majak Daw feared his remarkable AFL return would never materialise, but has now set his sights on repaying North Melbourne.

Majak Daw shows his delight after being told that he will make his AFL return this weekend Picture: Nth Melb FC

Majak Daw feared his remarkable AFL return would never materialise, but has now set his sights on repaying North Melbourne’s faith as he prepares for his first game in 706 days.

Captain Jack Ziebell broke the news that Daw would return against Adelaide at training on Wednesday, with the 29-year-old triumphantly throwing his right arm in the air as he was mobbed by teammates.

“It’s been a testing few years. It’s tested my character, my resilience (and) how I can bounce back from setbacks,” Daw said.

“There’s no greater feeling. It’s the ultimate reward for all the hard work, both personally and with my mental health battle.

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“There were days where I thought I was so far off it (playing AFL again), both physically and then seeing other guys playing and wanting to play with them and sitting out all last year.

“We weren’t going that well and just being there knowing there was nothing I could do but sit back and support the boys.

“Now there’s something I can do about it — go back and play footy and repay the club and what they’ve done for me in terms of support and giving me a contract last year without knowing if I was going to play.”

Daw is the latest heartwarming comeback story this year, after Richmond’s Jack Higgins returned from intrusive brain surgery and Melbourne recruit Harley Bennell returned from 25 calf tears. It was feared that Daw would never walk again after he found himself on the wrong side of the fence on the Bolte Bridge in December, 2018.

Daw was helped out of the Yarra River near Lorimer St by Victorian emergency services and it was discovered that he suffered a broken pelvis and hip. But the Sudanese utility made a VFL return in July last year and played four games before a hamstring prematurely ended his season.

Daw was then on track to play in Round 1 before a cold meant he was sent home from training as clubs treated every sniffle as potential COVID-19 cases.

The illness meant Daw missed Round 1 and he then tore a pectoral muscle in the gym in May. But Daw avoided surgery and is ready to rock against the Crows on Saturday.

Daw wants his story to inspire others who are dealing with mental health problems and he credited North’s psychologists for helping him turn his life around.

“A few weeks ago I spoke to the boys and shared parts of my journey coming to Australia, playing footy, my battle with mental health,” he said.

“Since I’ve been through the last few years I want to be able to help people in a way.”

Daw’s son Hendrix turns one next month and will watch his dad play game No 51 on TV.

“I love my little man. He’s growing each day. Lucky the game is in the afternoon so he can see me on telly,” Daw said.

Ziebell said: “It’s been 706 days since he’s played AFL football. We’ve seen his journey, we’ve seen how much work he’s done to get back to this point”.

“It’s been an incredible journey and this feat he’s going to achieve … is going to be one of the great stories in AFL footy.”