AFL player Majak Daw has walked free from a Melbourne court after being found not guilty of raping a girl in 2007.
Daw, 24, was charged with three counts of rape last July over an incident outside a party in Melbourne's west when he was 16 and the girl was 15.
The jury found him not guilty on all counts after a day of deliberation.
Sighs of relief and crying could be heard in the packed court room after the verdict was read.
Daw's father William raised his hands above his head and cried "hallelujah" as the North Melbourne footballer and the family left the building.
A smiling Daw thanked his family and friends for standing by him, saying it had been tough.
"I've been through this, I can get through anything in life," he said outside the court.
During the nine-day trial in the Victorian County Court he denied intercourse had taken place, but said he and the girl had engaged in consensual acts.
He said prior to the party he and the girl had got along "really well".
Daw, a refugee from Sudan, said the girl would sometimes ask if she could touch his hair and appeared fascinated by his background.
The court heard she had left the party with him and they had walked, hand in hand, to a reserve behind the house.
Daw said at the time he was happy because he thought they might end up kissing.
They stopped at a rock and sat down.
The girl told the court Daw then tried to kiss her and she laughed but as she started to walk away, he grabbed her wrist, causing her to fall.
She said he then held her down and raped her, despite her cries.
Daw, in denying the allegation, told the court the girl seemed very much in control and had initiated the consensual activity.
He said she had told him she liked him, then sat on his lap and kissed him.
He said they had their arms around each other and were both happy.
Her behaviour changed when they were interrupted by her best friend and she seemed embarrassed, he told the court.
Prosecutor Andrew McKenry told the jury they should not accept Daw's evidence, saying he was "on a script".
Defence barrister David Sexton said the young woman's version of events was worryingly inconsistent.
She changed her police statement and said Daw had done something similar to another girl, who denied to police that she'd been assaulted.
Daw was drafted onto the North Melbourne rookie list on Friday after being delisted in October.
The club said the verdict brings an end to a traumatic period for all involved.
