Former No.4 draft pick Zane Duursma has been traded to Melbourne after North Melbourne and the Demons agreed to a deal on Tuesday, with the Kangaroos receiving picks 33 and 49, AFL.com.au reported.
AFL.com.au reported that Melbourne sends picks 33 and 49 to North Melbourne, while pick 52 heads to the Demons along with the 21-year-old forward. AFL.com.au reporter Callum Twomey confirmed on X that the deal was done.
Duursma got his wish to land at the Demons after requesting a move away from Arden Street only three seasons into his career. He has kicked 28 goals in 38 games for North since being taken with the fourth selection in the 2023 draft out of the Gippsland Power.
The young forward played 15 games in 2026 but did not feature again after round 16, having struggled to lock down a regular place in the side. AFL.com.au said he remains highly regarded across the competition after flashes of the talent that made him one of the standout prospects of his draft class.
Manager: “It hasn’t worked in three years”
Duursma’s manager, David Trotter, was blunt about why the move was needed. “It hasn’t worked in three years, and Zane takes a lot of accountability for that,” Trotter said on AFL Trade Radio, as reported by AFL.com.au. “He’s got to learn what’s required to play AFL footy, the work rate, which he’s getting better at.”
Read more: Nick Blakey Traded to North Melbourne From Sydney, Reports Say
Trotter said he understood the frustration of North supporters who felt the club had invested time in a high-end talent. “People think he’s taking the easy way out, I actually think it’s the opposite,” he said. “It’s a pay cut to go there. It’s a new environment and he thinks putting himself under pressure is what’s required.”
Duursma is one of four siblings to reach the elite level, alongside Essendon’s Xavier Duursma, West Coast’s Willem Duursma and Carlton AFLW player Yasmin Duursma.
What it means for North
With the Duursma deal done, AFL.com.au said North Melbourne is set to turn its attention to its pursuit of Adelaide defender Nick Murray, having already put forward pick 33 in an offer to the Crows. The deal comes after the Kangaroos landed Nick Blakey from Sydney earlier on Tuesday.
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