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 11 March 1991) is a former Australian rules football player. He played for the North Melbourne Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Majak Daw and his family came to Australia as refugees from the civil wars in Sudan. He made history by becoming the first Sudanese Australian player chosen by an AFL club. This happened when he joined North Melbourne in the 2009 AFL Draft. His journey inspired many young African Australians to play Australian rules football.
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Early Life and Journey to Australia
Majak Daw was born in Khartoum, Sudan, in 1991. He was the third of his parents' seven children. His family had to leave Sudan because of the civil war. They lived in Egypt for three years before moving to Australia in 2003.
Playing in the TAC Cup
Before joining the AFL, Majak played for a team called the Western Jets. This team is part of the TAC Cup, a competition for young football players. Scouts from AFL clubs like North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs noticed his talent. They saw him as a strong player for key positions on the field.
Majak showed his athletic skills at the AFL pre-draft tests. He performed well in running and jumping tests. He was also one of 11 young players to receive a special scholarship. This scholarship helped support promising young Australian rules footballers.
Majak Daw's AFL Career
Joining North Melbourne
Majak Daw was chosen by North Melbourne in the 2010 rookie draft. This was a big moment that even got attention from news around the world. He started his career playing for Werribee, a team in the VFL (Victorian Football League). This helped him improve his skills before playing in the AFL.
He played his first game for North Melbourne in a pre-season match in 2011. Many people wanted him to join the main team after he kicked an amazing goal for Werribee.
Standing Up Against Racism
In 2011, while playing for Werribee, Majak Daw faced a difficult situation. A supporter said something racist to him. Majak shared that this made him feel "really small."
Because of this incident, the person was banned from VFL games. They also had to attend a workshop about anti-racism and apologize to Majak. This event helped bring more attention to stopping racism in sports. Many people, including former Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu, praised Majak for speaking out.
AFL Debut and Big Games
In 2013, Majak played very well in the pre-season games. This led to him making his official AFL debut in Round 4. In his very first minute of the game, he kicked his first AFL goal! However, he got a concussion later in that game.
He continued to play and had a fantastic game in Round 7. In only his fourth career game, Majak kicked six goals. His coach, Brad Scott, said that Majak was a great example of what hard work can achieve.
Career Highlights and Changes
Majak was briefly delisted in 2015 but was quickly re-drafted in 2016. In 2016, he won the "Mark of the Year" award for an incredible high catch. He also played in his first final game that year.
After dealing with some injuries in 2017, Majak wanted to try playing different positions. In 2018, he changed from being a forward to a defender. He felt this was a new chance to do well in the AFL. He played his first game as a defender in an AFLX match.
Majak played for North Melbourne until the end of the 2020 season. He then joined the Melbourne Football Club in 2021. He played at the VFL level for Melbourne. Majak announced his retirement from football in June 2022.
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 | ||||
| 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 | ||
Personal Journey and Return to Football
In December 2018, Majak faced a very serious personal challenge. He was found in the Yarra River and suffered injuries to his hips and pelvis. This was a difficult time for him.
However, Majak showed incredible strength and determination. He worked hard to recover and made an inspiring return to football. In July 2019, he played for North Melbourne's VFL team. Then, on August 1, 2020, he made his amazing return to the AFL in a game against Adelaide, even kicking a goal. His journey back to playing football was a powerful story of resilience.
