Player Watch #7: Zane Duursma - out for 2024, undergoing shoulder surgery

[FootySmartSimpson]

Its hard to tell after losing Tarryn and not having Jy around. Its definitely improved over the season.

In the game against Port there were times where Sheeze and Wardlaw showed some real positive signs and LDU seems to be getting better as he learns to deal with the attention he gets as the only established midfielder. They still aren't spreading with the intensity I'd like to see but the improvement is there.

Obviously having a 6’2” agile, damaging mid absent from the rotation has hurt LDU and the mids, but Jy’s repulsive form and fitness this year has meant that so many holes have emerged on our midfield structure. I just don’t think people care to realise just how important Jy is to filling those holes.

 

[justroyal]

Obviously having a 6’2” agile, damaging mid absent from the rotation has hurt LDU and the mids, but Jy’s repulsive form and fitness this year has meant that so many holes have emerged on our midfield structure. I just don’t think people care to realise just how important Jy is to filling those holes.

Does he still have it in him?
I think the form drop off was evident last year as well - that’s what leaves me a bit confused

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Does he still have it in him?
I think the form drop off was evident last year as well - that’s what leaves me a bit confused

Last year he had another injury/concussion interrupted season, so I don’t know what we can make of it.

 

[RossHenshaw]

Before drafting him he did say his dream one day was to play with his brother …

 

[pupstar]

Before drafting him he did say his dream one day was to play with his brother …

So it looks like if that's the case we could end up with 2 of them.

 

[koshari]

So it looks like if that's the case we could end up with 2 of them.

Yeah zane and willem

 

[Blightys Barrel]

Patch Adams has done a sterling job as our forwards coach. No-one is allowed to lead at the ball carrier. All forwards must run at 2/3 pace away from the ball carrier waving their arms in the air and then all fly and compete against eachother.

Arthur Cloke i think Patch did the forwards last year, and he has the Mids this year. Not quite sure he has a Midfield strategy for this year, beyond allowing 6-8 goal runs to take place regularly, and telling the players to avoid taking possession for the majority of a QTR.

 

[bringbackboomer]

Based on the VFL team sheet, looks like he will get some time on the ball in the midfield. Hopefully gives him some confidence and the ability to show his craft across the mid/half-forward.

 

[bennymate]

Based on the VFL team sheet, looks like he will get some time on the ball in the midfield. Hopefully gives him some confidence and the ability to show his craft across the mid/half-forward.

This is the beginning of his Bont arc

 

[bringbackboomer]

This is the beginning of his Bont arc

I'd love to see him fill TT's role, minus the off field issues. Tall, silky, can move, mark and score. Time will tell.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

I'd love to see him fill TT's role, minus the off field issues. Tall, silky, can move, mark and score. Time will tell.

Apart from marking, Thomas had him covered for almost every aspect of the game.

Duursma just doesn’t have explosiveness of Thomas’ play at all. It’s kind of unfair even comparing the two.

 

[Sphynx]

Apart from marking, Thomas had him covered for almost every aspect of the game.

Duursma just doesn’t have explosiveness of Thomas’ play at all. It’s kind of unfair even comparing the two.

Not at the same age he didn’t.

Duursma is a far better athlete than Thomas in just about every department.

He also played his first season in a side that won 10 games.

 

[apollo_creed]

I'd love to see him fill TT's role, minus the off field issues. Tall, silky, can move, mark and score. Time will tell.

don’t think they’re similar at all apart from size. Thomas’ skills considerably better (duursma has shown nothing ‘silky’ to date) which was obvious from the beginning and the way he moves not even close to how Duursma moves around.

 

[Twangler]

don’t think they’re similar at all apart from size. Thomas’ skills considerably better (duursma has shown nothing ‘silky’ to date) which was obvious from the beginning and the way he moves not even close to how Duursma moves around.

Bit harsh. TT in his first season or two didn’t set the world on fire either. These types take time

 

[Masked Avenger]

don’t think they’re similar at all apart from size. Thomas’ skills considerably better (duursma has shown nothing ‘silky’ to date) which was obvious from the beginning and the way he moves not even close to how Duursma moves around.

Funny. Different eyes.

What I've seen of Duursma silky is more than a fair take and I wouldn't be downgrading his skills. He looks like he'll be a talent to me.

The lad's adjusting to the pace of senior AFL football against hardened men. He needs to put on size and get game time into him.

As good as TT was - let's be really honest he never put it out on the park that much.

 

[King Corey]

Not at the same age he didn’t.

Duursma is a far better athlete than Thomas in just about every department.

He also played his first season in a side that won 10 games.

Thomas was taking hits against men, Zane was zipping around a relatively bruise free league by comparison.

Thomas Is naturally better at every aspect of the game talent wise except maybe goalsense, not that he was a slouch there either.

 

[Masked Avenger]

Thomas was taking hits against men, Zane was zipping around a relatively bruise free league by comparison.

Thomas Is naturally better at every aspect of the game talent wise except maybe goalsense, not that he was a slouch there either.

We'll find out after a few seasons where Duursma sits, but you seem pretty definitive about a guy who's barely played 10 games.

Big call on a very limited sample size I would have thought.

 

[King Corey]

We'll find out after a few seasons where Duursma sits, but you seem pretty definitive about a guy who's barely played 10 games.

Big call on a very limited sample size I would have thought.

I am talking about innate talent. Tarryn had all the tricks but underrated physicality and strength to go with them.

Zane's career for us may and hopefully will eclipse Tarryn's career. That's a different matter, thought that'd be obvious.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

Funny. Different eyes.

What I've seen of Duursma silky is more than a fair take and I wouldn't be downgrading his skills. He looks like he'll be a talent to me.

The lad's adjusting to the pace of senior AFL football against hardened men. He needs to put on size and get game time into him.

As good as TT was - let's be really honest he never put it out on the park that much.

It's true, TT had skills but how many times did he offer up a best on ground performance over the course of a full game? Maybe two or three times in 69 games?

 

[Sphynx]

Thomas was taking hits against men, Zane was zipping around a relatively bruise free league by comparison.

Thomas Is naturally better at every aspect of the game talent wise except maybe goalsense, not that he was a slouch there either.

Was he now? Are you talking about the football Mecca that is the Northern Division of the TSL? lol.

Zane has been playing senior football for Foster since he was 14 years of age. He had played 30 games of senior football for Foster before he turned 16. The TSL is no different to that standard of football.

He played VFL football for Casey last year before he’d even turned 17. He played (and kicked a bag) in the NAB league as a 15 year old.

Thomas carved up the Academy sides when there was still a division 2, was average for the Allies in the full nationals against players that are currently playing for the Cairns Crocs and never played in the current u18 league. He instead played what is the equivelant of C grade Ammo’s in the best team in the comp.

You are underrating Zane. There’s plenty he shits all over Thomas on.

 

[Sphynx]

I am talking about innate talent. Tarryn had all the tricks but underrated physicality and strength to go with them.

Zane's career for us may and hopefully will eclipse Tarryn's career. That's a different matter, thought that'd be obvious.

It’s really not obvious.

Zane has if not more tricks and natural talent than Thomas.

He’s a better natural forward for starters which lends itself to these types of natural talented fwd/mid.

 

[King Corey]

It’s really not obvious.

Zane has if not more tricks and natural talent than Thomas.

He’s a better natural forward for starters which lends itself to these types of natural talented fwd/mid.

What I meant as obvious was what range of abilities they were both born with.

It was never a prediction of their career trajectories.

 

[Sphynx]

What I meant as obvious was what range of abilities they were both born with.

It was never a prediction of their career trajectories.

I wasn’t talking about career trajectories either.

Zane Duursma is one of the most freakishly naturally talented young Victorian footballers of the last decade.

It’s an extremely weird hill to die on.

Thomas is a better contested player, better at stoppage, his first 3-4m is probably quicker than Zane and his footskills definitely shade him.

I’d give most other categories to Zane, including footy IQ, every other athletic trait, clean hands, contested marking, ability to accumulate, natural goal sense and goal kicking ability, let’s not start with intangibles, workrate, attitude, professionalism and the likelihood of them ever fulfilling their potential…

You may be forgetting a big portion of North fans declaring Thomas a bust after his second season we he averaged about 8 touches a game and under a goal a game as a half forward. Basically what Zane is now. That side wasnt one of the worst ever at that point either.

If he’s in a similar rut after 3 years, we can reopen this comparison.

 

[King Corey]

I wasn’t talking about career trajectories either.

Zane Duursma is one of the most freakishly naturally talented young Victorian footballers of the last decade.

It’s an extremely weird hill to die on.

Thomas is a better contested player, better at stoppage, his first 3-4m is probably quicker than Zane and his footskills definitely shade him.

I’d give most other categories to Zane, including footy IQ, every other athletic trait, clean hands, contested marking, ability to accumulate, natural goal sense and goal kicking ability, let’s not start with intangibles, workrate, attitude, professionalism and the likelihood of them ever fulfilling their potential…

Each to their own.

I said several times I felt Tarryn was the most gifted player on our list in terms of physical abilities. That was over and above LDU et al.

I'm aware you had him pegged as lazy a long way out and can understand why you rate Zane higher albeit I feel you're prone to draftee overvaluation at times which is your prerogative.

Edit: lazy not last bloody autocorrect

 

[Sphynx]

Each to their own.

I said several times I felt Tarryn was the most gifted player on our list in terms of physical abilities. That was over and above LDU et al.

I'm aware you had him pegged as last a long way out and can understand why you rate Zane higher albeit I feel you're prone to draftee overvaluation at times which is your prerogative.

I can only compare them at similar ages.

I have no idea what he will be like in 3 years time, that’s as much down to our development as anything.

It was clear to a hell of a lot of people 2-3 years ago Thomas was not going to amount to much more than a role player that flashed the odd elite game. Regardless of all the off field accusations.

Natural talent is as much between the ears as it is at the end of your fingers. See Sheezel for the ultimate personification of this.