Opinion Taylor Duryea

[Great 2008]

I'm not sure how good he may be, but isn't it great to have an exciting young player coming through the ranks, when they've spent a couple of years in our system?

Particularly when most of the Box Hill watchers here wrote him off completely ...

Yep Box Hill watchers get it right....

 

[Flukey!]

Suckling provides us with a goal threat from half back - Duryea doesn't. Duryea is a better defeender than Suckling. So as you see we would be better off if both were in the team.

So maybe as Goo moves on, we will see both in the back half?
Right now we have more capable defenders than spots.

 

[Brant]

So maybe as Goo moves on, we will see both in the back half?
Right now we have more capable defenders than spots.

I tend to agree that we'll see them both in the back half, but not both in the 'Back 6'.

I see Suckling taking over from Mitchell when he returns, in a designated-kicker type role. Mitchell disposes from both hands & feet & is very effective across HB, despite not being quick or strong or tall etc. He is smart & links in with the rest of our team like few I've ever seen. He creates options for them to dispose to & he finds them when they're in space when he has the ball. I think Suckling could become this player. Coming out of defence we should play it through him as often as possible & if he's covered then we run it out through the likes of Birchall, Duryea or Schoey; a fairly handy backup plan!

Play Duryea as a BP who gets free every now & again like Goo does.

 

[Hawks1994]

I said no. But to add to that, NOT YET.

Loved his development already, doesn't mind putting his body into the contest, and when on the outside has that fantastic left foot. I still have Birchall and Suckling as our two back flankers...

But having said that I can't predict the future, maybe Taylor will develop so rapidly that he takes over sucklings spot.

Just like to say that I have loved his contribution and hoping he continues to develop into a regular senior player in the coming years.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

He is a monty to start every game moving forward. Clearly, the most improved player this year. Being his debut season at this level, he has been outstanding. He fits into the defence and understands the structures like a veteran. I am a huge fan and he will only get better from here.

 

[seysearles]

I really rate Duryea highly and I think after 18 games in 2013 he should be a regular in 2014. Especially now that Guerra has gone to that special place that defenders go when their time is up. I was reading this article about him (see link below) and was encouraged to see that he actually specifically modeled his game on Guerra's.

"When the rut got so deep that he was sent back to the VFL reserves in mid-2011, Duryea realised something had to change. He moved to defence, and started to model his game on veteran Brent Guerra."

He definitely has the right attack on the ball. If he can get his kicking anywhere near the level of Guerra's I think we have a serious long term prospect in Doc.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-06-14/duryea-comes-in

 

[BobHawk]

I really rate Duryea highly and I think after 18 games in 2013 he should be a regular in 2014. Especially now that Guerra has gone to that special place that defenders go when their time is up. I was reading this article about him (see link below) and was encouraged to see that he actually specifically modeled his game on Guerra's.

"When the rut got so deep that he was sent back to the VFL reserves in mid-2011, Duryea realised something had to change. He moved to defence, and started to model his game on veteran Brent Guerra."

He definitely has the right attack on the ball. If he can get his kicking anywhere near the level of Guerra's I think we have a serious long term prospect in Doc.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-06-14/duryea-comes-in

I actually think his kicking is elite and have seen him nail one or two unbelievable passes. It is not so obvious at present because many of his kicks are under pressure and this is where he needs to improve.

 

[seysearles]

I actually think his kicking is elite and have seen him nail one or two unbelievable passes. It is not so obvious at present because many of his kicks are under pressure and this is where he needs to improve.

Im really excited about the kid. Although having said that he is very close to 23yrs old. So now or never is his time to be playing seniors. Same with Grimley. 2014 is their year to cement their spots.

 

[xellis]

I actually think his kicking is elite and have seen him nail one or two unbelievable passes. It is not so obvious at present because many of his kicks are under pressure and this is where he needs to improve.

His kicking has a long way to go to becoming 'elite'. He nails a few but far to inconsistent and too many costly turnovers.

That said I like the kid and reckon he'll play most games next year.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

He's a ripper.

Best 22, comfortably.

 

[Joey Seaside]

I don't think he's quite there, but there is so much upside in this guy, it's not funny. If he can secure a regular spot in the side, the future is very bright for him.

Goo is massive shoes to fill. I'll miss the guy - he was such a rock in defense, and so tough. Could dish out a bit of the old knuckle-duster stuff, and had an excellent booming left-foot goal kick-arse weapon.

It may take a while before Duryea approaches Goo's lofty heights!

 

[Joey Seaside]

Oh...Duryea has got some real guts about him - gotta love that.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

Love his hairstyle. Best 22 on that alone. Better still captain.

 

[Davo-27]

when Duryea came to the club, i saw some highlights of him and i thought straight away that we had just committed the biggest crime, stealing him with pick #69 in that draft, i used to have a pic of him as my bigfooty avatar which got distorted and i recently changed....

Love the kid since he got to the Hawks am happy he got a go this year, looking forward to more from Taylor...

 

[Davo23]

Love his hairstyle. Best 22 on that alone. Better still captain.

Not as natural a hairstyle as Guerra!

.

 

[Hawker1167]

I think with another preseason in him and with Goo retiring he will continue to improve.....has turned it over a bit but does have a good left foot and with confidence will be an important player for us....looks like he may be just ahead of Litherland but wouldn't surprise me if he gets a game or 2 next year

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Im really excited about the kid. Although having said that he is very close to 23yrs old. So now or never is his time to be playing seniors. Same with Grimley. 2014 is their year to cement their spots.

Disagree.

Doc showed a lot this year and with another pre-season should play every game and take responsibility for the kicks ins.

Grimley is still developing and is another 17 months away from demanding a spot and being his "year".

I have no problem with waiting until a player is 24 or 25 to make it, as long as they fill difficult-to-address positions e.g. 199cm key forwards with agility, speed and skills. Is there any position more difficult to fill and more difficult to negate, if they get there?

 

[tommyk72]

Someone mentioned earlier he played 18 games this year!? I had to double check that and confirmed it's true! I'm really surprised he played that many. Really unlucky to miss out on a premiership in that case. I think he's best 22 now.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Someone mentioned earlier he played 18 games this year!? I had to double check that and confirmed it's true! I'm really surprised he played that many. Really unlucky to miss out on a premiership in that case. I think he's best 22 now.

He was unlucky. A lot of focus was on Savage for being unlucky to miss out but Duryea was just as unlucky IMO. Remember that he played so few games in the VFL (only 1 or 2 I think) that they had to get special permission for him to play in the finals. At one stage there he looked like a permanent fixture in the Hawthorn team but the reality was he was only there because over the course of the year (channelling Clarko for a minute) there seemed to be someone out of the backline with injury each week and he kept his spot. Not that he didn't acquit himself well, he did, but when Birchall came back from his long stint on the sidelines and with Guerra fit enough to play towards the end of the season there was no spot for him. I think he would be great to be the one to do the kick ins and can definitely see him in Goo's role next year. Hope he takes the chance I think he will inevitably get and runs with it

 

[Del33640]

Not as natural a hairstyle as Guerra!

.

I already miss Goo's hair hat. That thing was stuck on there so hard you almost forgot the way he looked in his human cannonball days at the aints...

 

[seysearles]

 

[Thaihawk]

View attachment 84791

Apart from a much better taste in colours, the young man doesn't look to have changed very much.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Apart from much getter, the young man doesn't look to have aged very much.

Still got his dimples

 

[tenderwarrior]

How you you think his year was this year? I would like him to get a bit of of the ball, given one of his weapons is his kicking. He also gives a good contest, but I feel he will always be on the fringe given the talent underneath him.

 

[Wundo]

If a player like Duryea, is a fringe player then we are indeed, in a great place. He seemed to lack confidence but now I think he believes he belongs. Plenty of upside to him in the coming years.