Recommitted Zane Duursma [OOC 2026] - name was floated for a move in 2025, stayed

[FootyGuru]

Think you will have 3 top 10 picks if Draper leaves.

But it’s like handing a Rubik’s cube to a 6 month old.

Will north be asking for further afl assistance?

Pity about trading your first. Especially where you guys are on the ladder.. damn. There might be another midfielder at your second pick though.

 

[Wild Bill]

Will north be asking for further afl assistance?

Pity about trading your first. Especially where you guys are on the ladder.. damn. There might be another midfielder at your second pick though.

We are ok - out of one of the worst drafts - since the Perkins and Cox draft. You nearly went 4 quarters without a goal.

Maybe you’ll get compo and have 4 top 10s. The drought continues….

 

[Vindicater]

Knowing Essendon and North you'll just end up with a player who can't find the ball and on the rare occasion they do have the pill they butcher it.

 

[Mofra]

I remember in 2018, there was a lot of talk about the clear best 7 players, with Rozee almost universally seen as the riskiest pick of the group (ie high ceiling but lowest floor). In Rozee’s case, he’s delivered on his talent.

IIRC there were question marks over any potential midfield shift for Rozee but he was always a top tier talent.

A few draft watchers couldn't believe that Duursma was rated higher than Caddy though. Quite a few (correctly, as it turns out) thought Caddy should be rated higher.

 

[THE_GUN]

Something is very wrong with this kid
Honestly looks like he is tanking to get out of North

 

[Unfazed]

In his draft year wasn't he considered a really good one-grab mark? I'm guessing his shoulder injury has impacted him.

 

[bzparkes]

Kid seems to lack professionalism in regards to training/diet, at least that's according to Harley in the player's interview from a couple of months ago.

Basically said he eats takeaway all the time and Harley ended up doing the same, as he was hanging out with him most of the time.

Just seems miles off it. Much more talented than older brother but Xav at least works really hard and isn't afraid to do the hard stuff.

 

[fnerd]

Think you will have 3 top 10 picks if Draper leaves.

But it’s like handing a Rubik’s cube to a 6 month old.

As opposed to the talent identifying genius that is Brady Rawlings?

 

[fnerd]

Something is very wrong with this kid
Honestly looks like he is tanking to get out of North

Well if that’s the case I’d say the kids very ****en right !!

 

[Ambrosia]

could be going early but to me he's Will Hosken-Elliott all over again. Plenty of skill ball in hand and athleticism but lacks the footy smarts and toughness to put it all together.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

could be going early but to me he's Will Hosken-Elliott all over again. Plenty of skill ball in hand and athleticism but lacks the footy smarts and toughness to put it all together.

It will be coined Duursmatitis unless Willem turns it around for them

 

[mattwa]

Looks to be more suited to play off a HBF. Has a good kick by the looks of things and is probably too lazy and switches off to be a good forward. HBF seems to be the role suited for a player with the above traits

 

[Ambrosia]

It will be coined Duursmatitis unless Willem turns it around for them

I think Xavier's issue is more that he's just a bit shit.

He definitely does have a bit of the same struggle at finding the footy but unlike Zane I'm not sure I want him to get the ball all that often. His value is as a far side winger who works hard both ways, is a solid user in space and competes well in the air. Struggles big time in traffic and probably doesn't get a game in a good side.

 

[SSSSSS]

Looks to be more suited to play off a HBF. Has a good kick by the looks of things and is probably too lazy and switches off to be a good forward. HBF seems to be the role suited for a player with the above traits

He doesn't have the discipline to play in the D50 and he doesn't have the work rate to get the uncontested ball to offset this.

He's a guy with a neat kick (that is reliable but isn't very damaging or penetrating), who isn't very quick (at least enough to break open lines) and he has massive defects in his application.

He's a weird inbetweener player where he currently doesn't seem to fit any role. He has a combination of good traits without being elite in any, which is probably why he can't get a game at North.

 

[captain cotch 9]

He doesn't have the discipline to play in the D50 and he doesn't have the work rate to get the uncontested ball to offset this.

He's a guy with a neat kick (that is reliable but isn't very damaging or penetrating), who isn't very quick (at least enough to break open lines) and he has massive defects in his application.

He's a weird inbetweener player where he currently doesn't seem to fit any role. He has a combination of good traits without being elite in any, which is probably why he can't get a game at North.

Haha true.
Why'd they draft him haha

 

[SSSSSS]

Haha true.
Why'd they draft him haha

Who knows.

It wasn't even a position of need. North already have enough medium forwards in Zuurhaar and Curtis. They even went out of their way to give Zuurhaar a massive deal to keep him on the list.

They're crying out for a small forward/KPP.

Any one of Watson/Curtin/Caddy/O'Sullivan would have been a much better pick, not only talent wise but positionally.

Even if they picked Duursma with the view that he was becoming a potential midfielder....they've already spent the last five drafts stocking up on midfielders creating a logjam forcing guys like O'Sullivan on a flank and Phillips out to the VFL.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Haha true.
Why'd they draft him haha

had a very good champs

hawks were going to take him at their pick apparently (who knows if it was a bluff or not) we went for it instead of watto

we were really keen on curtin also and tried to trade back into the draft

 

[SSSSSS]

had a very good champs

hawks were going to take him at their pick apparently (who knows if it was a bluff or not) we went for it instead of watto

we were really keen on curtin also and tried to trade back into the draft

Duursma at least made sense for us.

He would have been a natural Gunston replacement. We've got a lot of smalls but outside of Gunston we don't really have that medium marking option.

 

[hilly]

Haha true.
Why'd they draft him haha

Rawling = twit.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Would Hawks do something crazy and trade Carltons 1st rounder for Duursma?

 

[SSSSSS]

Would Hawks do something crazy and trade Carltons 1st rounder for Duursma?

Yeh if they throw in Sheezel as the steak knives.

 

[The Big Dipper]

In his draft year wasn't he considered a really good one-grab mark? I'm guessing his shoulder injury has impacted him.

That's what happens when you have Doctor Nick looking after your rehab....

 

[The Big Dipper]

Would Hawks do something crazy and trade Carltons 1st rounder for Duursma?

I don't think Hawthorn would give you Carlton's 2nd round pick for him.

 

[Daka]

I hope Willem is not a spud like his brothers.

Eagles probably going draft him anyway.

 

[THE_GUN]

It will be coined Duursmatitis unless Willem turns it around for them

I think all the Duursma's have a mummys boy about them and even the sister