Willem Duursma: Top AFL draftee ‘happy to do whatever’ after heading to West Coast Eagles with Pick 1

When Willem Duursma walked into Marvel Stadium on Wednesday night, he knew he’d be leaving a West Coast player. As widely tipped, Duursma was the first name called out in this year’s draft after a strong 2025 season for Gippsland Power, Vic Country and Casey Demons. The 18-year-old becomes only the fourth Eagle to ever be taken with the No.1 pick, joining Drew Banfield (1992), Michael Gardiner (1996) and Harley Reid (2023) who handed him his guernsey on stage. Moments after landing at the wooden spooners, Duursma revealed he was told by new coach Andrew McQualter and head recruiter Duane Massey earlier that afternoon they’d be bringing him west. “It’s pretty special to finally happen. It’s something you dream about all your whole life and this year seeing West Coast down the bottom I was just hoping I’d get the chance to go there,” he said. “I had a meeting with Mini, Mass and all that (on Wednesday). That was really good. I found out this afternoon. I was pretty happy with that. “It was, ‘We’ll take you with the first pick tonight, so just be ready’.” “It (my day) has been more relaxed I’d say. I think the beauty of knowing that is it takes a lot of stress away and you can just prepare well.” Duursma – who joins older brothers Xavier (Essendon) and Zane (North Melbourne) as well as sister Yaz (Carlton) in the system – declared he was ready to debut in round one, with a variety of positions in the mix for the versatile teenager. “I will find out a bit more (about my role) when I get there but that’s the beauty of being able to play multiple positions. Wherever I am needed, I am happy to do whatever,” he said. “I am ready for a big pre-season, so we’ll see what happens after that. “I hope so. I will work as hard as I can to try to do that (play round one).” Duursma heads to the Eagles at their lowest point on field, coming off a wooden spoon after a one-win season. But regardless, the 193cm midfielder said he was prepared for the steep learning curve he was going to get at a struggling side. “It’s a big, powerful club. So, to be a part of that young core, you’re with younger kids, you’re more relaxed because you know everyone and you become mates pretty quickly,” he said. “I’ve seen Harley and that go through it. I know it’s not easy, but you’ve got to look at the bright side and think positively. “They’re only going to get better and that’s what I’ve said for a while now.” A powerful runner, Duursma said he was excited to play on the wide spaces of Optus Stadium. “I do like Optus. I’ve been there a couple of times watching games. It does look good out there and I am keen to get out there,” he said. It comes as Cooper Duff-Tytler declared he will pick the brains of West Coast club great Nic Naitanui as he prepares to be the next generational ruckman at Mineral Resources Park. Duff-Tytler was taken by the Eagles with pick No.4 on Wednesday night after the club unsuccessfully bid on Gold Coast academy midfielder Zeke Uwland and Carlton father-son defender Harry Dean. The 18-year-old out of the Calder Cannons and Vic Metro will join fellow Victorian Willem Duursma in heading west to play for the wooden spooners. Duff-Tytler becomes the earliest ruckman taken by the Eagles since Naitanui was drafted out of Swan Districts with pick No.2 in 2008. And the young man said he’d seek out the three-time All-Australian, who has worked at the club since retiring in 2023. “If Nic Nat is there I will be trying to learn as much as possible off him,” Duff-Tytler said. “I was a Hawks supporter. Obviously not any more, I am a big Eagles man now. I think every kid loved watching Nic Nat growing up. “A human highlight reel and to watch him is pretty cool. If I can play anything like him, it’d be pretty cool.” Duff-Tytler is no ordinary ruckman. He is known for his incredible athleticism despite his 201cm frame, which has him draw comparisons to Fremantle’s Luke Jackson and St Kilda’s Tom De Koning. He said playing above his age group as a youngster helped him become an excellent player below his knees for his size. “When I was a kid, I always played with my brother who was two years older meaning I was always a smaller player on the field,” Duff-Tytler said. “I ended up playing wing and half-back a lot. I was never that big in juniors, and I was playing against kids two years older so I needed to develop my skills and the ground level stuff because I didn’t have the edge over them in the air.” Duff-Tytler now becomes part of a generational change at the Eagles as they look to build off only 11 wins in the past four seasons, something he believed was an “unbelievable” opportunity. “The list at the Eagles is so exciting, with Willem now and Harley (Reid) over there. Reuben Ginbey. They’ve got a bunch of young stars,” he said. “So hopefully I can grow into that and meet all of the boys, and get to know them all. And hopefully fit in well, learn so much off them. And become a better player and person over there. “I think it’s an unbelievable opportunity to get to go over there at this point when they did have a dry season last season but hopefully get to try to rebuild the club with that young list.”