Past #24: Sam Durdin - delisted after 21 NM games/1 NM goal - thanks Durds (drafted by Carlton in '22 MSD)

Aug 13, 2012
13,511
23,104
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
NORTH! 2016,2017,2018.
Wonder if this is a list management technique to prevent what happened to Brisbane with Polec etc. happen to us. Hold an interstate draftee down for three seasons to get over the hump.
Was thinking the same. Makes sense. Also likely to be asking for a lot more in 2 years time. We show him faith hopefully he returns the favour later. good job north
 
Mar 15, 2008
13,123
7,878
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
I'm not heartened to hear we're intentionally trying to make a "swingman" out of Sam. What's wrong with the old formula?: use a high pick on a tall, give him the best chance to become a KPF, really hope he succeeds, if that fails send him to defence.
Ive been screaming for a player that has marking capabilities.........I hope he is able to clunk the ball as a senior player the way he does it at junior level.
 

The Dingrel

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 25, 2013
5,414
10,771
Brisbane
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Brisbane Bandits
It may help head off the almost inevitable raid by the SA clubs using "the go home factor" as a sales pitch.
I don't know how much go home factor there is for interstate players moving to Melbourne. Let's face it its a bloody nice city to live in once settled with a very nice lifestyle.
 

GarnerSmash

They tried to make me go to rehab
10k Posts Ex-Moderator North Melbourne - 2015 Daw & MacMillan Player Sponsor North Melbourne - 2014 Daw, Black, Gibson Player Sponsor North Melbourne - 2013 Daw, Black and Gibson Player Sponsorship North Melbourne - North 2012 Player Sponsor North Melbourne - North 2011 Player Sponsor North Melbourne - North 2010 Player Sponsor
Jun 2, 2009
26,836
52,085
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Wonder if this is a list management technique to prevent what happened to Brisbane with Polec etc. happen to us. Hold an interstate draftee down for three seasons to get over the hump.
I look at it through a lens of a young KPP who will probably not get much of a shot over the next two years with both Waite and Petrie continuing up front and Tippett, Hansen, Grima, Thompson and Tarrant in front of him down back. If he was to be coming out of contract at the end of 2016 with 4 games under his belt he may be tempted by a decent offer from elsewhere (specifically SA) with the promise of game time. An extension now will see him to the point where Petrie, Waite an Grima will be most likely gone and we will know if Tippett and Tarrant are up to it. It is also a clear indication of how highly rated he is at the club now and he will be a building block for our spine for a long time to come.

Strong list management.
 
I don't know how much go home factor there is for interstate players moving to Melbourne. Let's face it its a bloody nice city to live in once settled with a very nice lifestyle.

Mrs Toes is living proof, I agree, but you can never underestimate the yearning for pie floaters, Stobie Poles, Foodland outlets, painted goal posts and reading a "Footy Budget" (footy record to us).
 
Oct 4, 2006
15,839
33,688
The hood
AFL Club
North Melbourne
CHF for sure.

On the face of it he has all the tools for CHF, but people more learned than us have stated he gets lost in the forward line.

There must have been a reason 15 other clubs overlooked him. Including Adelaide who needed a KPD, choosing a guy coming off a knee reco instead of a home grown healthy kid.

Not knocking Durdin, just trying to be a bit more realistic about expectations
 

Daz

Norm Smith Medallist
Jan 9, 2008
9,694
4,013
AFL Club
North Melbourne
No offense to Sam but thats a really weird contract extension. I mean he hasn't even stepped on a field yet, I'm as excited as the next person for his possible talent but this is a little baffling

Happens all the time with first rounders, particularly those coming from interstate.
 
Not knocking Durdin, just trying to be a bit more realistic about expectations

He's a new draftee and this is big footy.

it is neither the time nor the place for these realistic expectations of which you speak.
 

Passmore

Brownlow Medallist
May 22, 2001
23,601
75,879
The Gasometer Wing
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Norf
On the face of it he has all the tools for CHF, but people more learned than us have stated he gets lost in the forward line.

There must have been a reason 15 other clubs overlooked him. Including Adelaide who needed a KPD, choosing a guy coming off a knee reco instead of a home grown healthy kid.

Not knocking Durdin, just trying to be a bit more realistic about expectations

The talk before the draft was that some clubs rated him and some did not. We were clearly in the former camp.

With his physical attributes, we'd be insane not to try him FWD and move him back if that does not work.
 
I look at it through a lens of a young KPP who will probably not get much of a shot over the next two years with both Waite and Petrie continuing up front and Tippett, Hansen, Grima, Thompson and Tarrant in front of him down back. If he was to be coming out of contract at the end of 2016 with 4 games under his belt he may be tempted by a decent offer from elsewhere (specifically SA) with the promise of game time. An extension now will see him to the point where Petrie, Waite an Grima will be most likely gone and we will know if Tippett and Tarrant are up to it. It is also a clear indication of how highly rated he is at the club now and he will be a building block for our spine for a long time to come.

Strong list management.
Good post. Agree with this.

Also, CHF for me too. Much harder position to play and if he can nail it and become a gun. It will have a huge impact on our future success
 
Oct 4, 2006
15,839
33,688
The hood
AFL Club
North Melbourne
On this very subject (all things Durdin), i posted on the Crows board earlier in the week, asking what the south aussies thought of him. One was nice enough to PM (LC40) me his very detailed thoughts which he was happy for me to share with you all. They are as follows:

Saw your post about Durdin and I thought I would reply.
I'm an avid West Adelaide supporter and saw quite a bit of Durdin towards the later part of the year. He managed a couple of league games and although he didn't dominate he certainly didn't look out of place.
Played in the back lines for those few games. I had a few arguments with the other Crow's posters who kept referring to him as the next James Sellars.
I'm convinced most had never ever seen him play live but relied on the two minute highlight packages.
This kid has a game.

As a Crow supporter I'm happy with Lever because we needed a defender badly and I thought he was the best pure rebounding one in the draft. Durdin would have been my next choice if I had been picking!
He's a good prospect with a huge upside, I glad the faith has been shown in him with the extra years signing. I'm a fan he'll make a difference.

Durdin is a fine player who when he fills out will become a strong marking target, he is also a very smart footballer. He was injured for a lot of the season with a broken thumb so when he went to the u/18's championships he wasn't 100%.
West Adelaide under 18's finished fifth at the end of the minor round but went on to win the flag. Durdin was a big reason for their unexpected win. He played in ruck because in that age group he was our tallest player.Had over 40 hit outs and a ton of marks and was named the best on ground for the grand final.
Why I like this kid...he reads the flight of the ball as good as anyone around and his work ethic is good. He has the ability to make the contest and help the defence out either through marking or spoiling. How many times during the year did an opponent look set for a simple mark and Durdin would arrive in the nick of time and effect the spoil.
His second efforts are what I really like most about his game. For a guy whose that tall his follow up work is superb. When the ball hits the ground after a contest he is balanced and agile enough to immediately be back in the hunt. He is also a game changer and those are hard to find.

He's not perfect and he could up the intensity level a touch but he's a keeper. I wish nothing but the best for the lad and think he will make your team better.
 
Mrs Toes is living proof, I agree, but you can never underestimate the yearning for pie floaters, Stobie Poles, Foodland outlets, painted goal posts and reading a "Footy Budget" (footy record to us).

True TT.

We certainly want to make sure that those Adelaide people don’t get in his ear. If ya know what I mean.

P.S. Something about this kid I reckon. First "genuine" tall selection since what... Tarrant? Hansen?
 
True TT.

We certainly want to make sure that those Adelaide people don’t get in his ear. If ya know what I mean.

P.S. Something about this kid I reckon. First "genuine" tall selection since what... Tarrant? Hansen?
Brown?
 

In a sense. Hardly at the pointy end though and as good a first year as he had he is still in many ways a project player. Not to say I don't rate what Brown has delivered.

We've just not been hitting the draft for big KP players for quite a while now, in particular at the top end of the draft.
 
Back