North Melbourne defender Jamie Macmillan has praised Majak Daw's ability to adapt so quickly to his new defensive role.
Daw, who’s natural position is up forward, has been deployed in defence by Kangaroos coach Brad Scott this season, with the positional change paying dividends, with the 27-year-old playing some of the best football of his career.
Macmillan admitted he was shocked when he was told Daw would be playing down back, but cannot speak highly enough of his teammate following his recent performances.
“If I’m being brutally honest, when I was told Majak Daw might come and play down back I nearly fell off my chair, I thought really? That’s the honest truth,” he told SEN’s KB and The Doc.
“I could not be prouder of what he’s been able to achieve. He’s come back and he’s just been an absolute sponge down back.
“He’s coming from a long way back, he’s 27-years-old and never played in defence in his life.
“The stuff he is doing now has been phenomenal and he picked it up really quickly. He’s athleticism is second to none and the way he is just flying for his marks at the minute; he’s taking mark after mark.
“There’s nothing better as a small defender when I’m trying to defend the opposition’s dangerous small forward, and to see Majak rise above the pack and just clunk one means I don’t need to defend as hard.
“He still has stuff to work on, but the way he has adapted has been phenomenal.”
Daw has played 43 games for the Roos since making his debut in 2011.
Listen to North Melbourne defender Jamie Macmillan's chat on SEN's KB and The Doc in the player below