Updated July 07, 2019 16:17:31

Star Kangaroos defender Majak Daw has returned to the playing field little more than six months after he was hospitalised after an incident near Melbourne's Bolte Bridge last December.

Daw took to the field for the Kangaroos in their VFL clash against Sandringham at North Melbourne's home base, Arden Street Oval, on Sunday.

The defender played about 20 minutes in the first quarter, starting in the back pocket and gathering four possessions, before coming off the ground.

North Melbourne had said before the game its plan was for Daw to play two blocks of eight minutes, and increase his playing load in coming weeks.

Photo: Daw was selected in the back pocket and had four touches in the first quarter. (Twitter: North Melbourne Football Club)

The Kangaroos senior team gathered in Hobart, where they were scheduled to play St Kilda on Sunday afternoon, to watch Daw's return on television.

North Melbourne defeated the Zebras by 57 points.

After the game, Kangaroos VFL coach David Loader said the club was "rapt" to see Daw playing again.

"It was a great day for the club and for the boys and for Maj himself," he said.

"Just having him back on the field was a win.

"He certainly looked good out there.

"We'll see how he pulls up and take it from there."

Daw's return follows six months of intensive rehabilitation, after he was pulled from the Yarra River with serious injuries to his hips and pelvis on December 17.

He had two 15-centimetre-long metal rods inserted in each of his hips and his rehabilitation involved him learning how to walk and run again.

"It's definitely a unique rehabilitation," North Melbourne's head of high performance Alex Moore said during the week.

"I don't know if anyone's rehabbed the injuries that Majak had and gone back to this level of sport."

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Daw said he was determined to return to the AFL.

"I'll be huffing and puffing no doubt, but just to go out and play again will be an indescribable feeling," he said.

Photo: Daw has signed a contract extension to continue with the Kangaroos next year. (Twitter: North Melbourne Football Club)

"I want to play AFL footy, whether that's going to be this year, whether that's going to be next year, I'm not quite sure how my body will respond to the game load," Daw said.

"Obviously AFL is a big step up from VFL, I've just got to keep listening to the guys around me."

The defender thanked the football club and his teammates, family and friends for supporting him during his recovery.

"The only way I can repay the club back is through playing footy," Daw said.

The club on Monday confirmed Daw had signed a contract extension to continue with the club next year.

Daw moved with his family to Australia in 2003 and 10 years later became the first Sudanese-born player to play in the AFL when he made his debut with the Kangaroos in 2013.

He played 50 games with the Kangaroos and kicked 40 goals.

The 27-year-old enjoyed a breakout season in 2018, playing 18 matches primarily as a defender.

Topics: sport, australian-football-league, victorian-football-league-vfl, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted July 07, 2019 13:56:08