The North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) is currently in the thick of things in the AFL Premiership Season Ladder at 7th place with an 8-6-0 record. Their ruckman, Majak Daw is in a different kind of battle; proving his innocence on a rape charge which apparently occurred way back in 2007.

"The North Melbourne Football Club can confirm Majak Daw has been charged by Victoria Police in relation to an alleged sexual offence in 2007," said the official statement from the North Melbourne FC. "The club respects the integrity of the legal process and asks the right to privacy of all involved be respected.”

Known as the Kangaroos, North Melbourne FC also said that they are backing Daw, who became the first Sudanese-Australian to be drafted by an AFL club in 2009 and that he will still be in the future plans of the squad.

"North Melbourne will support Majak and he will remain available for selection at VFL and AFL level. This is the subject of an ongoing legal proceeding and it is not appropriate for Majak or North Melbourne to make any comment."

The Victoria Police also confirmed the case.

“Sexual Crimes squad detectives charged a 23-year-old Wyndham Vale with three counts of rape on 30th June," said a police spokesman. "The charges relate to a historical sexual assault in Altona North in 2007.”

Daw has had his history of run-ins with his team. In February 2012, he suspended from the North Melbourne FC senior team and was relegated to playing for the Werribee Tigers for lying to the club about going to a nightclub in a time when he was supposedly recovering from a knee injury.

North Melbourne FC will take on first-place Hawthorn (11-3-0) on Friday, July 4 at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Victoria.