ON THE 20th anniversary of the Bali Bombings, Jason McCartney has recalled the night he stepped into AFL folklore.

As part of a new AFL on Demand series called 'Witness', McCartney has spoken of the "very very special occasion" that was his retirement game for North Melbourne against Richmond in 2003.

Just 237 days earlier McCartney had been part of the fatal blast in Bali that killed 202 people and left him with second degree burns to 50 per cent of his body that almost cost him his life.

But after working his way back through the VFL, the former Collingwood and Adelaide key position player would get another chance to play the game he loved at the highest level.

"It was pretty overwhelming because of the magnitude of everything that took place six or seven months earlier," McCartney said.

"There were so many other people we had there that night, some had unfortunately been injured in Bali, some were members of football clubs across the country that had unfortunately lost loved ones and then there was the medical teams and emergency services that did so much for so many.

"It was a very very special occasion.

"For me, knowing it would also be a retirement game, that pressure to want to get out there and do your job."

It didn't start well for McCartney, who spent the first quarter on the interchange bench and then struggled to impact when he entered the field with his long-sleeved jumper and thick gloves worn to protect his burns.

"It all flashes before your eyes," he said.

"That was my 13th season and knowing this was the last quarter of footy I'd play at AFL level wasn't panning out the way I'd like."

But early in the last quarter, his moment came. A mark, a goal and an almighty roar as the Kangaroos held on to win by three points.

"I was back in my routine and I know you've got to block everything else out, but it was going through my mind "don’t stuff this up, don’t' miss it, this is the moment, don't miss it".

"That's the one thing coaches talk about a lot, you mightn't be having the greatest game but you can still have a great impact."