Majak Daw

Majak Daw
Personal information
Full nameMajak Daw
Nickname(s)Magic Majak[1]
Date of birth11 March 1991
Place of birthKhartoum, Sudan[2]
Original teamWestern Jets, TAC Cup
Height/Weight195 cm / 91 kg
Position(s)Ruckman
Club information
Current clubNorth Melbourne
Number38
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2013–North Melbourne14 (15)
1 Playing statistics correct to end of Round 10, 2014 season.

Majak Daw (born 11 March 1991, Khartoum, Sudan), is a professional Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League (AFL). Daw and his family in Australia are refugees from the civil wars in Sudan. Daw became the first Sudanese Australian to be drafted to an AFL club when he was contracted to the North Melbourne Football Club in the 2009 AFL Draft. Daw's drafting gained international attention: it was reported by the BBC and the Voice of America. Daw made his first appearance for North Melbourne in an NAB Cup match on 20 February 2011. Daw signed with North Melbourne Football Club at the end of the 2011 season to stay two years.

Early life

Daw was born in Khartoum, Sudan, the third of his parents' nine children.[3] His family fled the Second Sudanese Civil War, living in Egypt for three years, then moved to Australia in 2003.[2][4] Daw attended secondary school at MacKillop College in Werribee, where he was first encouraged to play Australian Football.[5]

TAC Cup years

Playing for the Western Jets Daw was identified as a future "key position" player by North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.[6] Daw went to the 2009 Victorian Screening portion of the AFL pre-draft testing. He impressed with a 13.6 in the beep test and 3.03 seconds in a 20 metre sprint along with a standing jump of 70 centimetres.[7] He was one of 11 young Australian rules footballers to be given 2010 Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarships awarded by the AFL Players Association, and accepted the awards on behalf of the other players.[8]

Draft to North Melbourne

Daw was picked up with the ninth pick in the 2010 rookie draft.[9] His draft pick gained international media attention.[4][10] His career at North Melbourne began with playing for VFL club Werribee, where he continued to develop his game. He made his first appearance for North Melbourne in a pre-season NAB cup match against the Western Bulldogs on 20 February 2011.[3] In April 2011, playing for Werribee, Daw kicked an impressive running goal from beyond 50 m out,[11] prompting calls for his inclusion to the senior team.[12]

VFL racism incident

On 4 June 2011 Majak Daw was racially abused by a Port Melbourne Football Club supporter, while he was playing for the Werribee Tigers in the VFL.[13] Daw stated that it "made [him] feel really small".[14] The man has since has been banned from all VFL games until he completes an anti-racism workshop and formally apologises to Daw for the slur.[15] The incident has led to renewed calls to stamp out racism in sport, with former Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu, calling Daw a hero.[16]

Suspension from North Melbourne senior team

Daw was suspended from North Melbourne in February 2012 and remanded to the Werribee Tigers for an indefinite period for lying to the club and coach Brad Scott about a "night on the town" during a period in which he was recovering from knee surgery.[17][18]

AFL debut

In 2013, Daw had an excellent showing in the 2013 NAB Cup which prompted calls for his inclusion in the Senior Side. When tall forward Robbie Tarrant went down with a thigh injury, Daw was brought in to replace him and make his debut in Round 4 against the Brisbane Lions. In the first minute of the game, Daw marked the ball inside 50, and kicked his first AFL goal with his first AFL kick. However, his debut ended on a sour note when he collided with teammate Ben Cunnington and suffered a concussion before quarter time, and took no further part in the game. North went on to win the game by 63 points.

Daw held his spot and played the next week, scoring no goals but three behinds against Hawthorn. In Round 7 against the Western Bulldogs, Majak had a breakout performance in just his fourth career game, kicking a game-high 6 goals in North's 54 point win. After the match, North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said of Majak: "'Maj' is a good example of what you can do with really hard work. Hard work trumps talent any day of the week."[19]

2014 sexual assault charge

On July 1, 2014 Daw was charged with three counts of rape relating to an alleged sexual assault incident in Altona North in 2007. He had been previously arrested and interviewed over the allegations in May 2014. Daw denies the allegations, while North Melbourne has stated that he will remain available for selection.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Magic Majak kicks VFL goal of the year?". The Age (Melbourne).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hanlon, Peter (21 June 2009). "Out of Africa, into the team". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 McFarlane, Glenn (20 February 2011). "Majak Daw's big move". Sunday Herald Sun. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mercer, Phil (16 December 2009). "Sudanese Teenager Makes Sports History in Australia". Voice of America. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
  5. ↑ "Majak time for African Jet star?". 24 November 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  6. ↑ Gullam, Scott (7 December 2009). "Roos, Dogs believe in Majak". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  7. ↑ "Majak Daw profile". Australian Football League. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  8. ↑ Murnane, Jason (14 September 2009). "2010 Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarships announced". AFL Players Association. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
  9. ↑ "Power spring Harding surprise". ABC News (Australia). 15 December 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  10. ↑ Mercer, Phil (16 December 2009). "Australian Rules Football picks first black African". BBC News. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  11. ↑ Majak Daw's brilliant goal for Werribee, The Michael DiFabrizio Report, Retrieved on 8 May 2011.
  12. ↑ Daw is just what the Roos need, The Age, Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  13. ↑ Stafford, Andrew (5 June 2011). "Swans crush lame Lions". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  14. ↑ "Daw says abuse made him feel 'small' ". The Age (Melbourne). 6 June 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  15. ↑ Flower, Wayne (6 June 2011). "VFL footy fan banned for season in wake of Majak Daw race abuse". Herald Sun. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  16. ↑ Langmaid, Aaron; Flower, Wayne (7 June 2011). "Majak Daw hailed for action against racist slur". Herald Sun. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  17. ↑ Pierik, Jon (9 February 2012). "Sliding Daw: Majak's lies, debts and teammate's ex". The Age (Melbourne: Fairfax Media). Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  18. ↑ Warner, Michael (9 February 2012). "Majak Daw banned for lying to Roos coach". Herald Sun (The Herald and Weekly Times). Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  19. ↑ Collins, Ben (11 May 2013). "Hype similar, but Daw a long way from Nic Nat: Scott". AFL Website. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  20. ↑ "North Melbourne footballer Majak Daw charged with rape". 1 July 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.

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