The question recruiters had for top prospect Zane Duursma

“Playing deep forward against the Allies for the whole game probably wasn’t ideal, but I think that Metro game was the real icebreaker [for my season],” stated Duursma in an interview with this masthead newspaper.

“It was a confidence-booster, and by the end of that game, I was on top of the world. I had a pretty good season overall, but the first half of the year was a bit slow, then after the championships, it sort of picked up, and my back half of the year was definitely 10 times better.”

What followed was a burst of form, where Duursma kicked 20 goals and averaged 17 disposals, almost eight marks, and score involvements each in his last six matches of the Talent League season.

Not even the numbers do justice to the brilliant, class-above football the under-18 All-Australian produced that should mean he is snapped up in the first four or five picks on draft night on November 20.

“The main thing I’ve been asked is, ‘What got you going?’” Duursma said.

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That Corrigan catch-up, along with playing his preferred forward-midfield role was his simple explanation. Unlocking one of the most gifted talents in the 2023 draft involved little more than that.

“I think staying as that forward-mid is what I want, and pinch-hitting in the midfield is what I think I will do as I progress, hopefully, into my AFL career,” Duursma expressed.

Harley Reid and Gold Coast academy prospect Jed Walter are widely expected to be the first two names read out, the latter from a likely North Melbourne bid, while Duursma and Tasmanian dasher Colby McKercher are strongly linked with the Kangaroos’ back-to-back selections.

If Duursma somehow makes it past North, Hawthorn, with pick, five, are as good as certain to snap him up.

The silky-skilled 18-year-old tries not to pay much attention to the draft machinations, preferring to escape football when he is not playing, usually to surf, hit golf balls or hang out with his mates. But Duursma is aware which clubs have certain selections and knows it is highly unlikely he will join brother Xavier at Essendon.

Then Bombers list manager Adrian Dodoro admitted as much after snagging Xavier from Port Adelaide during the trade period despite saying he would “love” to have the younger Duursma, too. Zane and Willem at least had the chance to play together at Gippsland Power this year.

The Duursma backyard battles as the AFL-bound siblings grew up were fiercely competitive, but there was a familiar theme.

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“It was every bit as competitive as you can probably imagine, having three other siblings doing the same thing that you do,” he said.

“All the egos come through, and it’s lots of fun, to be honest, being part of a footballing family. Xavier was a bit of a bully because he’s older than us. He’d let us win sometimes, just so we felt good about ourselves, but he’d mainly assert his dominance and show why he was good.”

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