Majak Daw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Majak Daw |
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Daw playing for North Melbourne in April 2018
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Majak Daw | ||
| Date of birth | 11 March 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Khartoum, Sudan | ||
| Original team | Western Jets (TAC Cup) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward / Ruckman / Defender | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Majak Daw (born March 11, 1991) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played for the North Melbourne Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Majak and his family came to Australia as refugees from the civil wars in Sudan. Majak Daw made history by becoming the first Sudanese Australian to be chosen by an AFL club. He was picked by North Melbourne in the 2009 AFL Draft. His journey into the AFL caught worldwide attention. Many believe his career has inspired many young African Australians to play Australian rules football.
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Majak Daw's Early Life
Majak Daw was born in Khartoum, Sudan. He was the third of his parents' seven children. His family had to leave Sudan because of the Second Sudanese Civil War. They lived in Egypt for three years before moving to Australia in 2003.
Playing for the Western Jets
Before joining the AFL, Majak played for the Western Jets in the TAC Cup. Both North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs saw him as a promising player for key positions.
Majak showed great athletic skill during the 2009 AFL pre-draft tests. He performed well in running and jumping tests. He was one of 11 young players to receive a Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarship in 2010. These scholarships help young players develop their skills.
Majak Daw's AFL Career
Joining North Melbourne
Majak Daw was chosen by North Melbourne with the ninth pick in the 2010 rookie draft. His selection was a big news story around the world. He started his career playing for the VFL club Werribee, where he kept improving his game.
He played his first game for North Melbourne in a pre-season match on February 20, 2011. Later that year, he kicked an amazing goal for Werribee, which made many people want him to play for the senior team.
Racism Incident in the VFL
On June 4, 2011, Majak Daw faced racial abuse from a fan while playing for the Werribee Tigers. This happened during a VFL game against the Port Melbourne Football Club. Majak said the incident made him "feel really small." The person who abused him was banned from all VFL games. They also had to complete an anti-racism workshop and apologize to Majak. This event led to more calls to stop racism in sports.
Suspension from the Senior Team
In February 2012, Majak was suspended from the North Melbourne senior team. He was sent back to play with the Werribee Tigers for a while. This happened because he had not been honest with the club and his coach, Brad Scott, about a night out while he was recovering from knee surgery.
Making His AFL Debut
In 2013, Majak played very well in the 2013 NAB Cup pre-season games. This led to many people wanting him to join the senior team. When a tall forward, Robbie Tarrant, got injured, Majak got his chance. He made his AFL debut in Round 4 against the Brisbane Lions.
In the very first minute of the game, Majak caught the ball and kicked his first AFL goal with his first kick! However, his debut ended early when he got a concussion after colliding with a teammate. North Melbourne still won the game by 63 points.
Majak kept his spot in the team and played the next week. In Round 7, he had an amazing game against the Western Bulldogs. He kicked a game-high 6 goals, helping North Melbourne win by 54 points. After the game, coach Brad Scott praised Majak. He said Majak was a great example of what hard work can achieve.
Later Years: 2015–2022
Majak was removed from the team list in October 2015. However, he was picked again in the 2016 rookie draft. In 2015, Majak won the AFL Grand Final Sprint, which is a race held on Grand Final day.
In 2016, Majak Daw won the Mark of the Year award for taking an incredible high mark against Collingwood. He played nine games that season, which was his most at that time. He also played in his first final game against Adelaide, where he kicked four goals.
In 2017, Majak had a season with many injuries and only played seven games. By the end of the 2017 AFL season, he wanted to become a more flexible player. In the 2018 off-season, Majak changed his playing position from a forward to a defender. He felt this change was his best chance to succeed in the AFL. He played his first game as a defender in an AFLX series match.
Majak was removed from the North Melbourne team list at the end of the 2020 AFL season. This was part of a big change where 11 players were cut from the team. In 2021, Majak was recruited by the Melbourne Football Club. He played at the VFL level for them that season. Majak struggled with injuries during his time at Melbourne. He did not play a senior game for them before announcing his retirement in June 2022.
Majak Daw's Career Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of round 12, 2022
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles | H/O | Hit-outs |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | H/O | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | H/O | ||||
| 2011 | North Melbourne | 38 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012 | North Melbourne | 38 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013 | North Melbourne | 38 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 29 | 14 | 43 | 16 | 11 | 28 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 4.8 | 2.3 | 7.2 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 4.7 |
| 2014 | North Melbourne | 38 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 35 | 24 | 59 | 20 | 27 | 54 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 4.4 | 3.0 | 7.4 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 6.8 |
| 2015 | North Melbourne | 38 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 5.5 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 14.5 |
| 2016 | North Melbourne | 38 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 52 | 34 | 86 | 34 | 28 | 72 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 5.8 | 3.8 | 9.6 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 8.0 |
| 2017 | North Melbourne | 38 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 20 | 48 | 17 | 23 | 112 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 4.0 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 16.0 |
| 2018 | North Melbourne | 1 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 135 | 81 | 216 | 95 | 44 | 87 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 7.5 | 4.5 | 12.0 | 5.3 | 2.4 | 4.8 |
| 2019 | North Melbourne | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2020 | North Melbourne | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 18 | 35 | 9 | 8 | 23 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 8.8 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 5.8 |
| 2021 | Melbourne | 28 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2022 | Melbourne | 28 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Career | 54 | 43 | 38 | 304 | 194 | 498 | 195 | 151 | 405 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 5.6 | 3.6 | 9.2 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 7.5 | ||
Majak Daw's Personal Life
On December 18, 2018, Majak Daw had a serious incident where he was found in the Yarra River after falling from the Bolte Bridge. He suffered broken hips and a pelvis. After a period of recovery, Majak made an amazing return to playing football. In July 2019, he played for North Melbourne's VFL team. He then made his AFL return on August 1, 2020, in a winning game against Adelaide, where he kicked one goal.
