Xavier Duursma opens up about his ‘interesting’ Roaming Brian encounter and his Round 6 Rising Star nomination
Port Adelaide youngster Xavier Duursma has laughed off his encounter with Roaming Brian last week as a ‘bit of fun’ but says he has not been missed by friends making light of the vision which went viral.
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Port Adelaide youngster Xavier Duursma has laughed off his “interesting” encounter with Roaming Brian last week as a “bit of fun” but says he has not been missed by friends making light of the vision which went viral.
In post-match coverage of last Friday night’s win over North Melbourne, Channel 7’s Brian Taylor made a beeline for Duursma after teammate Connor Rozee had noted the first-year midfielder was “good with the women back in the day but he’s got a girlfriend now so he’s tied down”.
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Duursma was talking to cousins, friends and his girlfriend, Olivia Taylor, at the time.
The Channel 7 commentator asked Olivia how romantic Duursma was when it came to Valentine’s Day, only to discover she was still at school.
“This is younger than I thought,” Taylor said as he left the conversation.
“Oh boy. I can’t believe what we’re unearthing down here.”
Duursma, who has been named the Round 6 NAB Rising Star nominee, said he had copped some flack over the weekend about the vision.
Olivia, from Melbourne, is currently completing Year 12 and is also a part-time model.
“It was a bit of fun. It was interesting with my mates and my girlfriend there but it’s just a bit of lighthearted fun,” Duursma told the Herald Sun of the Roaming Brian segment.
“(My mates have) made a few social media things and there’s been a couple of comments on there.
“She (Olivia) flew over to watch me on the weekend and I try and get to see her as much as I can.
“I didn’t go to school with her. I sort of just met her throughout (last) year and it went from there.”
The pressure of having the interstate visitors watching him live did not seem to get to Duursma against the Kangaroos as he recorded 24 disposals and kicked a goal to become the Power’s second Rising Star nominee in four weeks following on from Connor Rozee in Round 3.
The performance continued a stunning start to Duursma’s debut season, which has seen him play all six games, averaging 18 disposals while also kicking four goals.
“It was a pretty good feeling even just to play Round 1,” Duursma said.
“To play this many games already, I’m loving my time.”
Duursma has long looked up to Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, and the similarities between the pair are already starting to shine through.
Duursma stands 1cm taller than Cotchin at 186cm, is also a right-footed onballer and averaged one more ranking point than the Brownlow medallist across his under-18 season.
The pair can also now both lay claim to having earnt Rising Star nominations within their first six AFL games.
“I thought Trent Cotchin, especially when he was a bit younger, he did a lot of run and carry and he’s also very creative and both an inside and outside player,” Duursma said.
“That’s what I think I can be.”
Duursma has moved in with a host family since crossing to Adelaide, and has been buddied up with Steven Motlop as his mentor at the club.
The former Gippsland Power captain said reports his manager had already opened talks with Port Adelaide over a contract extension were off the mark, but had loved the move from the Alberton Football League to the Alberton Oval so far.
“I don’t know where a lot of that’s come from but what I can say I’m happy where I am and I can see myself being at Port for a long time,” Duursma said.
“The whole club is just really excited at the moment. All the boys are really up and about when you get in on Monday. It’s just been great fun being a part of it so hopefully we can keep that going.”
Originally published as Xavier Duursma opens up about his ‘interesting’ Roaming Brian encounter and his Round 6 Rising Star nomination
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