MAJAK Daw has been acquitted on three counts of rape, freeing the North Melbourne rookie to continue his AFL career.
The jury in Daw's Victorian County Court trial found him not guilty of all charges relating to an alleged incident involving a 15-year-old girl in Altona Meadows in 2007, when Daw was 16.
Relatives of Daw, now 24, cried and let out sighs of relief when the jury delivered the verdict of not guilty on all three charges of rape.
The charges arose from an incident outside a party in Melbourne's west when Daw and the young woman went for a walk.
Daw told the trial that sex acts occurred but were consensual.
The jury on Thursday returned its verdict after one day of deliberation.
Judge Mark Dean told Daw he could leave the dock after the verdict was read out.
He hugged his family and friends who had packed the court to support him.
Speaking outside court, Daw said it had been a tough nine days.
"I've been through this, I can get through anything in life," he said.
He thanked his family and friends for supporting him.
Daw's father, William, raised his arms and exclaimed "Hallelujah" outside the court.
Daw was delisted by North in late October after playing just two senior games in 2015, but was reclaimed by the Roos in last Friday's rookie draft.