Since the turn of the millennium there have been unique moments at North Melbourne which have defined the club, inspired a generation and ignited the hearts of all football fans and supporters.

There have been extreme highs and devastating lows…all of which will never be forgotten.

In a new feature on kangaroos.com.au we look back at some of the most memorable moments at North Melbourne which took place between the years 2000 and 2009.

Today we reflect on Jason McCartney's amazing comeback.

Click here to view Jason McCartney player profile

It’s one of the most inspirational football stories to have ever unfolded.

Jason McCartney’s remarkable return to AFL just 237 days after he almost lost his life in the 2002 Bali Bombings.

The brave defender made his much anticipated comeback against Richmond in round 11 of the 2003 season at the then Telstra Dome.

Eddie McGuire, commentating on Channel Nine at the time, described it as ‘…a night of high emotion that will be remembered for as long as the game is played’.

McCartney suffered severe second degree burns to more than 50 percent of his body and helped rescue several other victims from the terrorist attack.

After a prolonged period in intensive care, McCartney began a gruelling rehabilitation process and declared his intention to return to the Kangaroos line-up.
“I visualised and dreamt about what it’d be like to come back from those dark days in hospital…every time I thought about it, I never got close in my wildest dreams to imagine it would actually pan out the way it did that night,” McCartney told kangaroos.com.au

After seven matches with Port Melbourne in the VFL, McCartney’s chance arrived on June 6, 2003.

Heavily bandaged and wearing a special compression garment along with gloves, McCartney led North Melbourne out onto the field in front of family, friends and thousands of fans.
He wore the numbers 88 and 202 on his playing jumper - 88 representing the number of Australians that died in the bombing and 202 the total number of deaths.

In a fairytale finish, McCartney scored a crucial goal and then helped put the Kangaroos ahead with just seconds remaining with an assist to Leigh Harding.

“To get hold of it and kick the goal in the last quarter, but to then somehow scrub a kick forward in the last couple of minutes that Leigh Harding ran onto and kicked the goal that virtually sealed the win it was quite remarkable.”
But even more remarkable was what transpired after the siren sounded.

McCartney gathered his thought and announced his retirement from the game to a packed stadium.

“The timing was right as hard as it was, the timing was right. It probably hit me really hard on the ground after it…on the ground after the siren with all the emotion and celebrations on the ground, it was reality kicking in and then it was reality saying ‘this has been 13 years of your life…and it’s over’, and that was the most daunting 30 seconds that I’ve experienced.”

All Decade archive:
Brayshaw & Arocca
Archer's 300th
Harvey captains Australia