Majak Daw
Encyclopedia
Majak Daw is a professional Australian rules football
er in the Australian Football League
(AFL). Daw and his family in Australia are refugee
s 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 a new contract at the end of the 2011 season that will keep him at the North Melbourne Football Club for 2 more years.
, Sudan
, the third of his parents' nine children. His family fled the Second Sudanese Civil War
, living in Egypt
for three years, then moved to Australia in 2003. Daw attended secondary school at MacKillop College
in Werribee, where he was first encouraged to play Australian Football.
Daw was identified as a future "key position" player by North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs
.
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. 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.
, 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. In April 2011, playing for Weeibee, Daw kicked an impressive running goal from beyond 50 m out, prompting calls for his inclusion to the senior team.
supporter, while he was playing for the Werribee Tigers in the VFL. Daw stated that it "made [him] feel really small". The man has since has been banned from all VFL games until he completes an anti-racism work shop and formally apologises to Daw for the slur. The incident has led to renewed calls to stamp out racism in sport, with Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu
, labelling Daw a hero.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). Daw and his family in Australia are refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s from the civil wars in Sudan
Refugees of Sudan
Sudanese refugees are persons originating from the country of Sudan, but seeking refuge outside the borders of their native country. In recent history, Sudan has been the stage for prolonged conflicts and civil wars, a well as environmental changes, namely desertification...
. Daw became the first Sudanese Australian
Sudanese Australian
Sudanese Australians constitute a small, mostly recently arrived group of Australians. In the 2006 census, there were 19,049 Sudanese-born Australian residents, making up 0.1% of the population...
to be drafted
AFL Draft
The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.-History:...
to an AFL club when he was contracted to the North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
in the 2009 AFL Draft
2009 AFL Draft
The 2009 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2009/10 Australian Football League off-season. These were the Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft .- Trades :In the lead up to the trade week many high profile players such as...
. Daw's drafting gained international attention: it was reported by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and the Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
. Daw made his first appearance for North Melbourne in an NAB Cup
Australian Football League pre-season competition
The Australian Football League pre-season competition, which is known at present as the NAB Cup, is a competition held before the beginning of the Australian Football League premiership season...
match on 20 February 2011. Daw signed a new contract at the end of the 2011 season that will keep him at the North Melbourne Football Club for 2 more years.
Early life
Daw was born in KhartoumKhartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, the third of his parents' nine children. His family fled the Second Sudanese Civil War
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and Blue Nile by the end of the 1980s....
, living in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
for three years, then moved to Australia in 2003. Daw attended secondary school at MacKillop College
MacKillop Catholic Regional College, Werribee
MacKillop Catholic Regional College is a Catholic secondary school in Werribee, Victoria with strong connections to the Josephite sisters, founded by Mary MacKillop. The College was originally founded as Mary MacKillop Girls College in 1970, providing junior secondary education to female students...
in Werribee, where he was first encouraged to play Australian Football.
TAC Cup years
Playing for the Western JetsWestern Jets
The Western Jets Football Club are an Australian rules football club who play in the U18 competition, the TAC Cup. The club have developmental squads in the U15 and 16 age groups, however much of the attention is towards its U18 team....
Daw was identified as a future "key position" player by North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
.
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. He was one of 11 young Australian rules footballers to be given 2010 Mike Fitzpatrick Scholarships awarded by the AFL Players Association
AFL Players Association
The AFL Players Association, or AFLPA, is the representative body for all current and past professional Australian Football League players....
, and accepted the awards on behalf of the other players.
Draft to North Melbourne
Daw was picked up with the ninth pick in the 2009 rookie draft. His draft pick gained international media attention. His career at North Melbourne began with playing for VFL club WerribeeWerribee Football Club
The Werribee Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club, based in Werribee, was formed in 1965 and currently plays in the Victorian Football League. Werribee was defeated by the Sandringham Football Club in the 2005 VFL Grand Final.-History:The Werribee Football Club...
, 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. In April 2011, playing for Weeibee, Daw kicked an impressive running goal from beyond 50 m out, prompting calls for his inclusion to the senior team.
VFL racism incident
On 4 June 2011 Majak Daw was racially abused by a Port Melbourne Football ClubPort Melbourne Football Club
The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League ....
supporter, while he was playing for the Werribee Tigers in the VFL. Daw stated that it "made [him] feel really small". The man has since has been banned from all VFL games until he completes an anti-racism work shop and formally apologises to Daw for the slur. The incident has led to renewed calls to stamp out racism in sport, with Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu
Ted Baillieu
Edward Norman "Ted" Baillieu MLA is an Australian politician. He is currently the Premier of Victoria and the member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Hawthorn...
, labelling Daw a hero.
External links
- Majak makes history - from the Australian Broadcasting CorporationAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
's The 7.30 ReportThe 7.30 ReportThe 7.30 Report is an Australian nightly television current affairs program, that was shown on ABC1 and ABC News 24 at , Mondays–Thursdays... - Majak Daw's profile in the Official AFL Website of the North Melbourne Football Club