He does not to work hard on his fitness and strength. He should be a little more advanced in this area after 12 months on the list.
Player Watch #7: Zane Duursma - out for 2024, undergoing shoulder surgery
- Thread starter giantroo
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- Nov 17, 2011
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At 17 other clubs Duursma would be revered as one of their top young players, and would absolutely be a fan favourite.
I feel like it says a lot about how many top picks we've taken recently that North supporters can be so flippant about an incredibly talented top five draft pick. For us it's too easy to compare him to Sheezel, Wardlaw, and McKercher, who have all given us unfair expectations for what a first year player can achieve.
In the summer last year, from what I saw I thought he had the potential to be the best out of our young core. When the real games started he looked unable to compete from an endurance and strength perspective, but still offered plenty glimpses of his talent with some great goals and memorable grabs.
It's rare to find a North Melbourne supporter who is happy with the Duursma selection, which is crazy given his obvious talent. I'm hoping he has an enormous 2025.
I feel like it says a lot about how many top picks we've taken recently that North supporters can be so flippant about an incredibly talented top five draft pick. For us it's too easy to compare him to Sheezel, Wardlaw, and McKercher, who have all given us unfair expectations for what a first year player can achieve.
In the summer last year, from what I saw I thought he had the potential to be the best out of our young core. When the real games started he looked unable to compete from an endurance and strength perspective, but still offered plenty glimpses of his talent with some great goals and memorable grabs.
It's rare to find a North Melbourne supporter who is happy with the Duursma selection, which is crazy given his obvious talent. I'm hoping he has an enormous 2025.
The Filth Wizard
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I'm not only happy with it, I'm ecstatic with it. IMO the only thing that he could conceivably be judged upon is having the gall to say he might want to play with his brother one day (the Port Adelaide cast-off) before he was even drafted by a club. The narrative that has caused for some boggles the brain.
- Nov 17, 2011
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It beats me how such a mundane comment still gets brought up today as fuel to judge his character.
Even if he did have the strong desire to play with Xavier, it would be way more likely that we'd recruit him from Essendon than the other way round.
This is utter bullshit. I've been pretty critical of him but I'm also extremely aware of how talented he is. No problems with the selection at all, and I'd bet money that 95% of the others who've found something about his personality/development to criticise feel the exact same way
muttley45
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Kid is coming off season ending shoulder surgery, the mark of the year contender is still in my memory bank, little bit early to be canning him surely
- Nov 17, 2011
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Maybe I could have worded it a touch better, but most supporters I've talked to are quick to mention prefering Watson, Curtin, or Caddy, whenever Duursma's name comes up.
TennisPlayerAndy
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- Apr 1, 2008
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Legitimate queries on his future place in the team despite the glimpses he has shown.
Forward line is stacked for players of his type. Midfield is stacked full stop.
Has plenty to do.
That view will change when he adds the size and fitness required for AFL level and he shows what he can do fully.
If he can translate anything near his bog performance in the champs final we've got a special talent.
He needs to get more touches but he was clearly playing injured and we didn't have many inside 50's.
If we get the ball in there more I reckon a lot of our forwards will start to look more dangerous.
Im still happy with the Duursma choice. Think he will be a star long term and better than the other 3. Time will tell though. Happy to make that call now
- Apr 17, 2007
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The impatience around this joint is mind boggling.
Repeat after me - not everyone is going to be like sheezel
Repeat after me - not everyone is going to be like sheezel
Especially when it's taken LDU and Xerri years to be consistent. Even more difficult to comprehend.
Sillygit
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Personally I love the Dursma selection. Think he’s gunna be ridiculous.
- Apr 8, 2010
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Yeah, I was pretty keen on Watson on the back of Souup ‘s early analysis. I kind of feel like there’s usually a kid that rockets up the draft rankings late in the piece, for whatever reason & he was that kid last year.
Hope he turns out to be great, but I feel like we overspent on him with that pick.
Can't really gauge where he's at especially when we were the youngest team in the comp every week.
Need to see how he goes now that we've added in some much needed leadership. I am very confident 2025 will be a good year for him.
Need to see how he goes now that we've added in some much needed leadership. I am very confident 2025 will be a good year for him.
On the flip side cadman had a pretty vanilla first year but boy he looks good now.
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I think some of that stems from the fact we could've had Reid instead of Duursma if we (the Suns) hadn't have tanked. I was so torn that day.
- Oct 3, 2017
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There were a lot of posters attached to their opinions that we should take Curtin or Watson with one of those early picks. Caddy was never going to go at pick 4 and was more of a wish list to trade up with our other first rounders.
It was never a matter of taking Watson or Curtin with the Duursma pick, if we weren't taking Zane we would have traded down. Hawthorn and Melbourne made offers that would have got us either Watson and Morris, or Curtin and Tauru (Melbourne's F1) for that pick. Whilst Duursma looks the most talented of any of those players, he will have to become an amazing player to improve our list more than either of the trade down options would have.
Blightys Barrel
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His brother Xavier did 5 years at Port (2019 - 2023). Would have got the 3 years as a 1st rounder, and probably tacked on 2 more years.
I'd probably give the kid a chance before labelling him a mistake. Wild, I know.
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Honestly, think my and maybe others reluctance on him subconsciously links to him giving off a bit of an apathetic feel about the club.
Probably totally unfair but just an opinion.
Probably totally unfair but just an opinion.
He looked pretty invested on draft night welcoming the newbies.
I think he suffers a bit because he's not that little fella that ended up playing blow job ball.
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2yrs, then added 3.
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