Player Watch #7: Zane Duursma - staying at North in 2026

[Chip Scab1]

You're better than this Arjen.

We can't be robbed of close wins without being gifted close losses.

Flip every coin the other way and we land in the 5-6 win region with 2 taken past the 2 kick buffer.

We can be robbed of anything which I determine suits my argument lol

You're correct (obviously) but we beat both teams this year and were marginally older. Still had a full bevy of 1st and 2nd Rounders/best 22-types unavailable for most of the year.

I'll say it again.

We have more up our sleeves than both these teams. They will draft ok this year, we don't even need to draft to have more upside than both these clubs in 2026 and beyond with those already on our list.

Archer
Goater
WDawson
MWhitlock
Goodness Goad
Braydos Jorge
...
Trembath (3 games)
...
~23
~24
~42
....
McCartney?
Harris
Devine
Marsden
Deng
Auber

There's 6 before we've drafted or traded for anything other the SOP Spargo.

Get around us, we're stacked.
Stacked I tell you. I'm already pitching a tent at VFL Park in the queue for 2027-2035 GF tickets.

I have played golf with the Coach before so I know what I'm talking about. Yes it was 1998 at Brighton Public, but that doesn't matter - he remembered me because it was my old man who looked after him during those frightening concussions in the 80s.

You'll soon get it.

 

[apollo_creed]

I reckon they will be well down, especially if Merrett legs it...

Add in Bard scuttling them and its a recipe for a spoon...

Nah. They were going ok and then got smashed by injuries. They also have a good draft hand.

Scott isn't a terrible coach, he's not a great one either but they won't be finishing bottom 4 under him.

 

[Hazey1977]

Yep, I'm voting for the 2nd option as well. It's time we escaped the cellar that we accidentally locked ourselves in.

I didn't get suspended but have been in rebuilding mode since May of last year. As for the car, it would have needed a new drivers side door and front qtr panel. Which is fair enough as the fecker car doored me. Then he rang his girlfriend and complained that he "just wanted a coffee". This was while I was laying on the road waiting for the ambulance. The look of contempt one of the people helping me gave him was beyond withering.

On the downside, I broke my back and injured my left shoulder. Instinctively turned side-on just before contact which probably saved myself from more dangerous injuries to my throat etc. Had shoulder surgery this June which apparently went well but then successfully picked up Frozen Shoulder a few weeks later. Wasn't much fun having 2-5 hours sleep per night. Then went back in for Shoulder Hydrodilatation and Manipulation. Post match report featured the surgeon saying "your shoulder is incredibly tight" 3 times in a row. Got the impression he was trying to tell me something. Probably going back in for another go with the Shoulder Hydrodilatation. Back has healed ok.

I don't normally share this much of my personal my life on here. Will resume my usual laconic, pragmatic-optimistic posting style after this.

Hey Gumbles,

If you ever need an ear from someone who had a bad trauma accident as well, PM me anytime. It can still feel lonely even when you're surrounded by people helping.

I just got back from nerve blocks this morning in C3,4,5 actually.

Anyways, back to BGZ..... Man I hope he proves my gut feel wrong. Get in and have a massive per season, take hangers and kick goals for fun young fella!

 

[DuckYeah]

I don’t think they are that much better than those three, particularly if they lose merrett

They beat us with no squad? I wouldn’t be getting too far ahead of yourself. We blow

 

[BrownPaperBag]

They beat us with no squad? I wouldn’t be getting too far ahead of yourself. We blow

Not so much how good we are, more about how shit they project to be

 

[DuckYeah]

Not so much how good we are, more about how shit they project to be

Yeh not sold on it

 

[BrownPaperBag]

Yeh not sold on it

If things go a certain way they could be looking very shoddy

 

[My Left Foote]

Greshams been told to look elsewhere so Caddy wont be leaving now..

I wonder which club he's interested in, mother's club perhaps?

 

[King Corey]

I wonder which club he's interested in, mother's club perhaps?

As per other thread, all signs point straight back to Ross Lyon's tutelage then.

 

[Samsquanch]

Yep, I'm voting for the 2nd option as well. It's time we escaped the cellar that we accidentally locked ourselves in.

I didn't get suspended but have been in rebuilding mode since May of last year. As for the car, it would have needed a new drivers side door and front qtr panel. Which is fair enough as the fecker car doored me. Then he rang his girlfriend and complained that he "just wanted a coffee". This was while I was laying on the road waiting for the ambulance. The look of contempt one of the people helping me gave him was beyond withering.

On the downside, I broke my back and injured my left shoulder. Instinctively turned side-on just before contact which probably saved myself from more dangerous injuries to my throat etc. Had shoulder surgery this June which apparently went well but then successfully picked up Frozen Shoulder a few weeks later. Wasn't much fun having 2-5 hours sleep per night. Then went back in for Shoulder Hydrodilatation and Manipulation. Post match report featured the surgeon saying "your shoulder is incredibly tight" 3 times in a row. Got the impression he was trying to tell me something. Probably going back in for another go with the Shoulder Hydrodilatation. Back has healed ok.

I don't normally share this much of my personal my life on here. Will resume my usual laconic, pragmatic-optimistic posting style after this.

So, are you putting out feelers to Brady with the expectation he'll list you on a two year contract as a speculative recruit Frankie?

 

[Samsquanch]

Might be hard to move Gresham and before anyone suggests no no no under any circumstances

So, worth a look? Maybe a late second rounder?

 

[BrownPaperBag]

So, worth a look? Maybe a late second rounder?

I’d sooner caddy’s mum

 

[Gumble Frankieton]

So, are you putting out feelers to Brady with the expectation he'll list you on a two year contract as a speculative recruit Frankie?

Two year deal?? Three minimum with triggers for a 4th year! My suggested contract triggers include successfully having a pulse and the ability to eat a kebab after drinking a few beers. Thinking of using CCJ’s management team.

 

[Zondor]

We're in October '25 tho. We were the younger team on both occasions in 2024, still pathetic (of course) but didn't have Premiership players still running around like both those clubs.

We never looked like a Football side in 2024, maybe I'm delusional (maybe lol) but we, on occasion, did this year.

My bar is admittedly low, but that is progress. Slow, but there is something there.

I keep reminding myself how I felt in 1990-1992 as a young buck with all my life ahead of me. Now as old(er) man, I should probably have less patience, but I have more. If we had everyone available all year and found ourselves in the same boat - I could understand. But, do you in your heart feel the same way about 1997 as you do 1994. As a 14 year old I put them in the same category of Fraud, but as an older campaigner, I feel we were robbed by Umps in 1994 and cruelly by the "Gzods" in 1997.

I feel we were robbed of a few wins this year by the footy "Gzods". All of which would have put some of your minds at ease.

Apologies Arjen. I should've typed the season just past. Not last year. 3 of our wins in 2025 were with less scoring shots compared to the opposition. 2 of those opposing teams being Richmond and West Coast. Not overly convincing. We brought in 3 experienced Premiership players to rise one position up the ladder. 17th to 16th. :stern look

It's O.K. to hope that we will improve. Some think we will improve. I don't see massive improvement. It will be marginal at best. We wont be recruiting anybody of note. We would need a very good run with injury with significant improvement from our youngsters along with a coach that pulls his head out of his arse and becomes the coach he once was for us to rise up well outside the Bottom 4. :stern look

 

[Chip Scab1]

Apologies Arjen. I should've typed the season just past. Not last year. 3 of our wins in 2025 were with less scoring shots compared to the opposition. 2 of those opposing teams being Richmond and West Coast. Not overly convincing. We brought in 3 experienced Premiership players to rise one position up the ladder. 17th to 16th. :stern look

It's O.K. to hope that we will improve. Some think we will improve. I don't see massive improvement. It will be marginal at best. We wont be recruiting anybody of note. We would need a very good run with injury with significant improvement from our youngsters along with a coach that pulls his head out of his arse and becomes the coach he once was for us to rise up well outside the Bottom 4. :stern look

Since forever, you're bang on.

I think your last paragraph is it to a tee. Can Big Al start punching walls again? Can he get past not having Hodge and Cyril et al? I'm hopeful, but as you said, nothing is assured... especially these days.

Having missed a fair chunk of our abjectness, I'm more patient. But I can see some of our truly great supporters are basically done (which saddens me) - let's hope this turns around in next 12 months as we kinda deserve it.

I just want another with the old man and one with my little girl so it's ingrained in her like it was me.

 

[Val Keating]

lol, I ended up in Colombia, so not all was lost. Like Schnoz, I followed my nose.

And no doubt you followed one of your other appendages, the one just below your belt

 

[Val Keating]

11 years. FML.


Was during COVID, I was over there "working from home" at night, for Aussie Co earning AUD. Was good until I almost died waiting for my daughter to be born.


We don't call it a habit, China, as I refuse (on principle) to pay $400 for much worse than you can get delivered for $10. Less if you're prepared to go for a walk (towards the sound of gunfire) at night! Not exactly recommended, but fun.



Gracias a dios!!! Imagine me over there as an antitheist lol

Oh I should have read past the post I quoted. Columbia has very beautiful women

 

[Chip Scab1]

Oh I should have read past the post I quoted. Columbia has very beautiful women

Depends on what you're after really, friend.

Medellin yep, absolute belters everywhere like Mrs ChipScab (although we met at Oakleigh Station), Cartagena is lively and a smorgasbord but different and a bit dangerous, Barranquilla yes (where *Colombia Football play all their home games, stinking hot mind), Santa Marta not bad at all, Bogota no.

Pablo sorted that shit out real well.

*British Columbia is in Canada. Pablo's place was Colombia.

 

[Val Keating]

Depends on what you're after really, friend.

Medellin yep, absolute belters everywhere like Mrs ChipScab (although we met at Oakleigh Station), Cartagena is lively and a smorgasbord but different and a bit dangerous, Barranquilla yes (where *Colombia Football play all their home games, stinking hot mind), Santa Marta not bad at all, Bogota no.

Pablo sorted that shit out real well.

*British Columbia is in Canada. Pablo's place was Colombia.

I’m not exactly known for my correct spelling or punctuation, though I reckon I’ve improved a bit since I first started posting.

Yeah I meant Colombia, and specifically Mededllin.

The place is apparently a fair bit safer these days compared to when the cartels were operating out of there, but I’ve heard it’s full of junkies doing something starting with B … buzoko or something like that

 

[Chip Scab1]

I’m not exactly known for my correct spelling or punctuation, though I reckon I’ve improved a bit since I first started posting.

Yeah I meant Colombia, and specifically Mededllin.

The place is apparently a fair bit safer these days compared to when the cartels were operating out of there, but I’ve heard it’s full of junkies doing something starting with B … buzoko or something like that

It's very safe now, I've never had an issue and been 18 times for up to 5 months at a time. Fruit is best in world, coffee is best in world, other shit is obviously best in the world. I have a place in Castropol (el Poblado), anywhere near me is excellent and safe. We have guards on the frontdoor with machine guns (as anywhere decent does) but on my balcony late at night, you hear some wonderful shit (AK's going off and other assorted gun fire, that sorta shit not too far away every night).

I am boring old man these days, but used to hear of shit called "Paco" which is basically crack - "Tussi" same. The biggest issue they have is Venezuelans everywhere. There's a million of them in Colombia living in the streets basically begging. (It's sad, give them ~$2 and they leave you alone).

 

[Val Keating]

It's very safe now, I've never had an issue and been 18 times for up to 5 months at a time. Fruit is best in world, coffee is best in world, other shit is obviously best in the world. I have a place in Castropol (el Poblado), anywhere near me is excellent and safe. We have guards on the frontdoor with machine guns (as anywhere decent does) but on my balcony late at night, you hear some wonderful shit (AK's going off and other assorted gun fire, that sorta shit not too far away every night).

I am boring old man these days, but used to hear of shit called "Paco" which is basically crack - "Tussi" same. The biggest issue they have is Venezuelans everywhere. There's a million of them in Colombia living in the streets basically begging. (It's sad, give them ~$2 and they leave you alone).



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Yeah, Paco, that must be it. Filthy shit apparently. They only sell it locally yeah?

I thought the local crews dealt with the Venezuelans?

Edit- I meant the violent Venezuelans

Double edit- I just asked my mate, it’s called basuco

 

[ToxicMegaPunts]

Has Rawling traded BGZ to Clan del Golfo for some Nose or something?

 

[DuckYeah]

It's very safe now, I've never had an issue and been 18 times for up to 5 months at a time. Fruit is best in world, coffee is best in world, other shit is obviously best in the world. I have a place in Castropol (el Poblado), anywhere near me is excellent and safe. We have guards on the frontdoor with machine guns (as anywhere decent does) but on my balcony late at night, you hear some wonderful shit (AK's going off and other assorted gun fire, that sorta shit not too far away every night).

I am boring old man these days, but used to hear of shit called "Paco" which is basically crack - "Tussi" same. The biggest issue they have is Venezuelans everywhere. There's a million of them in Colombia living in the streets basically begging. (It's sad, give them ~$2 and they leave you alone).



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No need for the flex

 

[Newbie Real Talk]

I read somewhere that Zane has engaged a personal trainer and is committed to cementing his position in 2026. Has limitless talent and with his shoulder injuries behind him can improve his tank and output.
Surely has a future as a winger or lead up half forward.

 

[Ura]

I read somewhere that Zane has engaged a personal trainer and is committed to cementing his position in 2026. Has limitless talent and with his shoulder injuries behind him can improve his tank and output.
Surely has a future as a winger or lead up half forward.

I really hope this is true. Has massive upside and talent. If we can unlock his potential his impact on the side could be massive.
If he was available in this draft I would have him ahead of his brother. That’s what makes his subsequent draft output so disappointing.