DEFENDER Taylor Duryea has confirmed his commitment to Hawthorn, extending his contract with the club for a further two years.
The 24-year-old, who played his 50th game for the Hawks earlier this season, has established himself as a regular in the club’s senior side over the past three seasons.
A premiership player last year, Duryea said it was an easy decision to re-sign with the Hawks, with his contract extension keeping him at the club until the end of 2017.
“I’m pretty pumped to be honest,” Duryea said.
“It’s been a pretty good six years for me so far – obviously a bit of success last year – so there’s no reason why I should leave now.”
While Duryea now features as a reliable fixture in the Hawks’ defence, it took the courageous left-footer a number of years to establish himself within the club’s best 22.
He was forced to bide his time at VFL level in his first three years as a Hawk, before making his AFL debut in Round 3, 2013.
In less than two years, Duryea went from making his debut in front of more than 70,000 people against Collingwood, to playing in a premiership team in front of a capacity crowd at the MCG.
Having to really work hard for his AFL opportunity has made him hungry to make the most of every chance that comes his way.
“I definitely didn’t expect it to be my fourth year before I debuted, but the progression and development at Hawthorn… it’s a slower curve than at some other clubs, but it meant that I was ready when I came in,” Duryea said.
“Pushing forward it’s just about getting a little bit better each year, hopefully contributing to the team more and hopefully we have some more success as well.”
Recruiting and List Manager Graham Wright said Duryea would be an important player for the Hawks over the next couple of years – and hopefully beyond.
“He was pick 69 in the 2009 AFL Draft and he’s developed his game over the past three to four years to become a really important part of the team,” Wright said.
“He played in a premiership last year, and provides us with some grunt and rebound off half back.
“He’s only 24 now, so we think in the next two to four years he will continue to improve and be an important part of this team.”
Off the field, Duryea – who has been described as the Hawks’ ‘ideas man’ – has plenty to keep him occupied.
Football is still his first focus, but Duryea is constantly coming up with creative business ideas, studying property and real estate and managing his French bulldog Duke’s fast-rising modelling career.
“Duke’s far surpassed my footy career – he did a Gorman shoot and that’s been up and running for a couple of weeks now,” he joked.
“Who knows if the business ideas will take off, but I love footy so I think I’ve still got a little while to play out yet.”
