Nic Nat on hand to help out West Coast's prized unicorn

Eagles draftee Cooper Duff-Tytler.
Eagles draftee Cooper Duff-Tytler aims to learn from fellow big men including Nic Naitanui. -AAP Image

Willem Duursma has won the battle for West Coast's No.1 jersey but Cooper Duff-Tytler wants to become the team's unicorn as the pair plot a bright future at the AFL club.

The silver lining from West Coast's one-win campaign in 2025 was a bumper draft haul last week.

Duursma became just the fourth West Coast player to be selected at pick No.1 in the national draft, while ruckman Duff-Tytler wasn't far behind at No.4.

The Eagles also nabbed Josh Lindsay at pick No.19, Sam Allen at 29, and Next Generation product Tylah Williams at 39.

Duursma is on track to become a key part of West Coast's midfield alongside players including emerging superstar Harley Reid.

He has taken the No.1 jersey vacated by premiership Eagle Liam Ryan, who has been traded to St Kilda.

Duff-Tytler, who has been handed jersey No.21, already stands at 201cm and could become the generational ruckman West Coast have been crying out for since the retirement of Nic Naitanui.

Naitanui isn't officially part of West Coast's coaching staff but is set to help out the club's ruckmen from time to time.

The three-time All-Australian was at the club for the start of pre-season training on Monday to meet Duff-Tytler and give the 18-year-old tips. 

Duff-Tytler only chose football over basketball at the end of last year and has been busy studying some of the AFL's finest big men to emulate the best parts of their game.

One player he's kept a keen eye on in particular is Fremantle's Luke Jackson, who has been dubbed the 'Unicorn' given his huge athletic profile and ability to play various roles across the ground.

Duff-Tytler, who impressed at the Draft Combine with top-10 finishes in the 20m sprint and 2km time trial, boasts similar traits.

"His versatility - he's been playing midfield, ruck, forward, wherever he's needed," Duff-Tytler said of Jackson.

"So if I can do something like that, it'd be pretty good. 

"Luke Jackson and Tom De Koning, you just try and pull things out of their game that you can put into yours, as well as Riley Thilthorpe. 

"It's not really one person that you want to play exactly like. It's more just multiple players, and you try and pull what you can out of their game and stuff that you need to work on, strengths that you share and stuff."

Duff-Tytler said it was a thrill to work with Naitanui.

"Watching him as a kid, he was always pretty amazing," he said. 

"He's one of those players that you buy a ticket to sit and watch, because he can do some crazy stuff on the field."

Duursma becomes the fourth sibling to make it into the big time, following older brothers Xavier (Port Adelaide/Essendon) and Zane (North Melbourne), as well as sister Yasmin, who plays AFLW with Carlton.

As for the family's secret to success?

"Oh, probably the tank water," joked Duursma, who hails from Foster in the Gippsland region of Victoria.

"Nah, it's probably more just a little bit of skill, and a lot of dedication and hard work."