Xavier Duursma was quick to establish himself as a Bomber fan favourite in year one.
Relentless running and an ability to push forward were apparent from the opening rounds following Duursma’s trade from Port Adelaide at the end of last season, with the 24-year-old adding an important element to the Dons’ wing depth in 2024.
Although injuries limited Duursma to 15 games this year, his importance to the side was evident in some big wins over that stretch, including a strong 20-touch, 13-mark, two-goal performance in round five over the Bulldogs.
In joining a new club, Duursma had a point to prove and was out to earn his teammates’ respect right from the get-go this year.
“I was pretty excited to get here amidst all the nerves and I think I really attacked the season as hard as I could,” Duursma said.
“I really wanted to earn that respect from the boys, which was a big thing for me coming in. I wanted to put my name out there and for them to understand that I’d put my body on the line for them every week.
“I played some good, consistent footy, provided pretty important two-way running at different stages and got back to what I think I’m capable of at my best.
“I wanted to get my career back on track by coming here and that starts by just being a strong contributor week-to-week, which I feel I can continue to be.”
Clarity of role played a big part in Duursma’s integration this season, quickly slotting onto the wing and making the position his own over the course of the campaign.
With a bunch of different options supporting Duursma in the likes of Nik Cox, Nic Martin and Harry Jones, the opportunity to thrive in a clear spot paid dividends when he was on the park.
“I know my role as a winger and it’s one I feel really comfortable in,” Duursma said.
“It showcases my assets pretty well as a runner and someone who can impact in the air both up forward and down back. I felt like I got into a pretty solid rhythm on either side of the injuries this year.
“I’ll keep looking to expand my game beyond just going well in that role. Obviously, those quad and hamstring injuries were frustrating at the end of the year but my preparation has been at an elite level and it helped my performance a lot.”
Those injury troubles were untimely for Duursma, with a quad strain cutting him off from rounds 9-14 before a hamstring injury sustained against the Dockers in round 21 finished his season.
Heading into his second off-season as a Bomber, the winger is keen to get on top of those woes and ensure he can showcase his best footy over longer stints in 2025.
“I want to really dig deep and find the best state for me to slot back into pre-season and be as available as I can next year," Duursma said.
“Doubling down on ‘elite habits’ has been the biggest message for us as a group. We’ll focus on the little things and get ourselves in the best position to channel it into games.”
