Majak Daw's inspiring AFL career may not be over after all with the former North Melbourne defender invited to train with Melbourne.
The 29-year-old was delisted by the Kangaroos in September after 54 games across 11 seasons.
Believing he was finished at AFL level, Daw signed with suburban club North Heidelberg, where North Melbourne legend Brent Harvey plays, for 2021.
But the Demons have offered Daw a potential professional lifeline with the club still having two available places on their rookie list.
Melbourne list manager Tim Lamb said Daw would begin training with them on Monday.
"We are looking to potentially further reinforce our tall stocks and Majak will be given the opportunity to impress during this period," Lamb said.
Daw's comeback to an AFL field proved to be one of the most inspiring moments of the 2020 season.
The Kangaroos celebrated a rare win when Daw played his first AFL match since suffering serious hip and pelvic injuries in a fall from Melbourne's Bolte Bridge in December 2018.
Every teammate on the field swarmed to Daw to celebrate his goal against Adelaide as he ended a 700-plus day absence from the competition in style.
Daw became the first Sudanese-born player to debut in the AFL after bursting onto the scene in 2013, almost four years after he was first drafted.
"I've made some really good mates at this place. I'll miss the locker room banter ... it just didn't work out the way I wanted it to this year, there's been challenges I've gone through," he said after being let go by the Kangaroos.
"The last few years obviously haven't been easy for me, and I can't thank this footy club enough for what they've done for me."
The Demons currently have Kobe Farmer, the son of Melbourne great Jeff Farmer, training with the team.
Due to Victoria's COVID-19 lockdown, all AFL clubs in the state will be restricted to training in groups of 10 until further notice.