Roo dreams of rebound
NORTH Melbourne star Majak Daw will be given every chance to complete one of football’s greatest comebacks this season.
The 27-year-old Kangaroo defender took a significant step on his path to recovery yesterday, posing up for the official team photo.
He has been a regular visitor to the club during the past two weeks, less than two months after a terrible fall from the Bolte Bridge.
The athletic tall, who enjoyed the best season of his ca- reer as a defender last year, is making a steady recovery from severe hip and pelvic injuries.
If he fulfils his dream of playing this year, he will join former Roo Jason McCartney in the pantheon of footy’s greatest comebacks.
Bali bombing survivor McCartney recovered from severe second degree burns to more than 50 per cent of his body to be selected on merit in the Kangaroos’ side in 2003.
McCartney, heavily ban- daged and sporting a longsleeved jumper and protective gloves, announced his retirement on-field during a postmatch interview.
Daw “ditched” his crutches two weeks ago and is walking freely, without assistance, but sources said he still had a long way to go to return to full fitness and gets tired quickly.
North Melbourne has managed Daw’s physical and mental health carefully since the December 17 fall, but it is understood the 50-game veteran was keen to return to the fold for the team photo as a contracted player.
Daw strode into the auditorium at Arden St yesterday, smiling broadly at a packed media scrum and several Kangaroos coterie members.
He sat patiently between Ben Brown and Ben Cunnington in the second row.
Recruit Aaron Hall, behind Daw in the third row, took great pleasure in flicking the intercept marking specialist’s ear. Daw then joined teammates on Arden St for an impromptu huddle.
In a show of his returning mobility he stepped easily over the oval’s boundary fence.
Coach Brad Scott addressed the group before players took over, with one heard saying “Maj, got a joke?”.
Cptain Jack Ziebell opened up about the thrill of having Daw back. “I think everyone is just joyful he’s back,” he said.