AFL Draft 2025: Top draft prospect Willem Duursma on what he has learned from AFL/W siblings and Harley Reid

Willem Duursma is one of top prospects in this year’s draft – and he knows how it works. The young gun opens up on Harley Reid’s influence and his three siblings who have all made the big time.

Leading 2025 draft prospect Willem Duursma has had three siblings at the top level to learn off – and a No. 1 pick.

Willem has watched the journeys of Xavier Duursma (Essendon), Yasmin (Carlton) and Zane (North Melbourne) and it has filled him with extra motivation to become the fourth Duursma to join the AFL ranks – and complete the W-X-Y-Z set.

“It’s pretty special. I think that it’s not it’s not every day you get four siblings hoping to make AFL and I think that learning so much off Zane, Xavier and Yas, they are different pathways into the AFL,” Willem told this masthead.

Entering the season as a No. 1 pick contender, the talented Gippsland Power utility has also had the benefit of seeing West Coast sensation Harley Reid, who is dating Yasmin, up close and personal.

Reid’s professionalism has been under the microscope in recent weeks, but Willem has been impressed by this area with the powerful Eagles midfielder.

Yasmin Duursma and Harley Reid at the Brownlow Medal last year. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Harley, he’s a great guy. He’s also quite professional in how he operates. So over in WA he’s just really on time, he’s punctual, he operates well,” Willem said.

“I think that in a professional environment he rises up to the occasions.

“He’s a good fella, he’s always quite caring and welcoming. He’s always up for a chat, anything you want from him he’ll like give you. He’s quite knowledgeable as a person and he’s very caring, good fella.”

The Duursma backyard battles in Foster were even more combative than Reid on the football field.

Playing for Gippsland United, Willem was a top-5️⃣ leading scorer in the Victorian Junior Basketball League’s U18 VC Championship competition for the 2022-23 season. 🏀

But he is one of 2025’s top #AFLDraft prospects 👉 https://t.co/RWppbbsCn8

✍️: @chriscavanagh1pic.twitter.com/GP8FUSUcO2

— CODE AFL (@codeaflau) December 20, 2023

And yet another Duursma coming through in football: Willem, 14, has made the state Under 15 team as a bottom-ager. He's playing at Foster and Inverloch-Kongwak (where he's coached by ex-Tiger Allister Scott in the U14s). pic.twitter.com/n7uSjpLe4I

— Paul Amy (@PaulAmy375) July 26, 2021

Willem Duursma is considered a contender to be this year’s No. 1 draft pick.

Those matches pitted the eldest Xavier (now 24) against Zane (19) and Yasmin (20), or Zane and Willem.

“(Xavier) was always by himself and then as he left and Zane and I were together during our young teenage years, it’d be us two against each other. A lot of them would end in tears and bit of blood on the head as well, it’d be good fun in the backyard.”

Who went off with the blood rule?

“That was me,” Willem chuckled. “He (Xavier) got me, he got me good”

“He tackled me down and I kind of hit me head on the side of the spa. That was pretty funny.”

Willem, Vic Country’s most valuable player at the under-16 championships, has had the luxury of watching all his siblings’ unique journeys unfold. And each of them have taught him different aspects of the game.

Xavier Duursma is the oldest of the Duursma siblings. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Yasmin Duursma after joining Carlton last year.

“Xavier has probably taught me hard work the most. He’s always been a hard worker his whole life,” Willem said.

“Yas has taught me a bit of professionalism, so she’s always on time with everything and how she operates, and Zane is skill and talent. Like, it’s just good to watch how he operates and stuff.”

Willem has been highly touted throughout his junior years, and his three siblings are generally mentioned in the same breathe.

A 190cm prospect boasting elite foot skills, athleticism, versatility and a soaring leap, Willem wants to be the best of the Duursmas.

Zane Duursma almost hit the roof 😲

He is the @virginaustralia Mark of the Year nominee for Round 21. pic.twitter.com/pyfaOaUSI1

— AFL (@AFL) August 8, 2024

“Of course, everyone wants to be better than their siblings – have it over them. Hopefully, I’ve just got to work hard, just keep at it really,” Willem said.

And while he wants to forge his own path, being linked to them makes him even more driven to reach the bigtime.

“I quite like a bit of both. I like to go on my own way and also like to have a bit of shadowing of my siblings,” Duursma said.

“I think I quite like the pressure that it gives me to, to perform and play well and try and get in the system, because those three are already in there.

“So I quite enjoy it, it makes me play at the highest standard and try and operate a bit better.”

Duursma has starred all over the ground at junior level and he is set to put his gifts on show in an enhanced midfield role this season.

He is striving to be the first name read in this year’s draft, but he knows full well that joining an AFL club is just the start.

“It’s a goal, obviously it’d be nice (to go early) but I really just want to try and get there. I probably care more about what I do if I get there, I think I really want to make any impact,” Duursma said.

“But whether I do hopefully go number one or if I don’t, it doesn’t really matter for me. I’m happy to just get there and then put the work in think.”