Potential Pick 1 selection Willem Duursma has declared his best football is in midfield, with the Gippsland Power star also ‘not fazed’ by the prospect of having to head interstate.
Duursma’s best trait is arguably his versatility, with the Foster junior able to play across all three lines of the field as a 193cm talent.
The teenager spent most of the year in defence as an agile and impactful asset on both sides of possession, while he was able to get forward on a number of occasions for the Power to help win his side a close contest.
Duursma caught the eye in Round 1 of the Coates Talent League with a blistering performance in midfield, while he earned a role through the middle of the ground in Vic Country’s final match of the U18s National Championships.
The highly rated utility believes he thrives most in the engine room, but knows his flexibility is the strongest string in his bow.
“I do my best work in the midfield, but I can go back and forward, which is nice to have with the way the game is evolving,” Duursma said on Friday.
With West Coast holding Pick 1, Duursma is viewed as a likely chance to land at the Perth club as the opening selection of the 2025 AFL Draft off the back of a stellar campaign that included MVP honours for Vic Country and a spell with VFL outfit Casey.
Like his older brother Xavier, who was drafted to Port Adelaide in 2018, Duursma has no issue with having to pick up his life and start a career thousands of kilometres away from home.
“I’ve had a fair bit of experience in Perth. I do like it over there, it’s nice,”
“As a country boy, you’re gonna move away from home regardless. So, whether that’s Perth, Melbourne… I’m pretty happy to go wherever.
“I’ve spoken to ‘Xav’ about it. He loved going to Adelaide when he got drafted. Going interstate, it’s not really a big thing for us.
“It’s also good having my siblings to use them for advice. I’ll always talk to them about anything footy-related, and they always give it to me straight.”
When it comes to the pressure of being a potential Pick 1 selection, Duursma hasn’t given the title much thought, instead placing a priority on being the best recruit he can be to whatever AFL club calls on his services.
The U18s All-Australian believes he’s ready to have an impact at AFL level in his maiden season, having put in the work on his mental game.
“It’s a bit of talk. I don’t really care too much,” he said of being this year’s draft dux.
“I’m more worried about when I get to a club and having an impact immediately. When you get there, the number doesn’t really matter what pick you are. So that’s my mindset about it. It’d obviously be nice, but it doesn’t faze me too much.
“It’s certainly going to be good fun to find out how ready I am. I think, personally, I’m pretty ready, but I’ve still got a bit to grow physically. Mentally, I’m ready to take that step up.
“It was a really good experience playing against VFL boys. They’re bigger and stronger, but I certainly didn’t take a backwards step, and it was nice playing that level.”
A mentor Duursma has been able to rely upon is Geelong legend Joel Selwood, who has offered the draft hopeful some advice since the pair met via the AFL Academy earlier into the year.
Duursma said the relationship he’s been able to build with the four-time premiership champion has been “special”.
“I’ve got a lot of people I talk to. Joel Selwood has been unreal in keeping me mentally in check with the game and not getting too ahead of myself,” he added.
“Everyone’s pretty happy to help draftees these days. It’s really good and it’s really helped me.
“I just reached out to him, and I chat with him every now and then. That’s certainly special.
“Growing up watching him on your telly all the time, saying, ‘I want to be like Joel’, and then you talk to him the next day. So, it’s pretty special.”
The 2025 AFL Draft will take place on November 19-20.
