WHERE Sam Durdin comes from, there is a population of five or six people.

"I'm not 100 per cent sure about the neighbours who recently moved in," he says. "I don't know how many people are in that house. But it's just my mum, dad and them."

Halidon is a small country town two-and-a-half hours' drive from central Adelaide.

Although Durdin no longer lives there – he moved up to Adelaide as a 15-year-old – the farming community in east South Australia has produced one of the leading NAB AFL Draft prospects of this year.

Durdin is a tall, marking key position player who can do it at both ends of the ground. Last year, as a bottom-aged player, he was used in the ruck for South Australia during its under-18 championships.

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Being able to play anywhere isn't new for Durdin, though. When he first started playing, for Karoonda's under-13s side as a seven-year-old, he was in the forward pocket and his twin brother Mark was in the back pocket.

Most of Durdin's path has been shared with Mark. They played in the Karoonda team until they were 12, before crossing to East Murray.

For a bit more action they started playing for a club in the second Riverland league, Loxton, and on Saturday mornings the pair would play for the Loxton under-15s and then in the afternoon run out for East Murray's under-17s side.

"We loved both clubs," says Durdin, now standing 197cm. "They were both called the Tigers so all we had to change was the guernsey."

The pair now lives together with a friend in Adelaide, having moved to Henley High School in 2012. Once every few months they go back for a visit, particularly around shearing time, when their dad Gavin needs some extra hands on deck.

"Not having mum and dad in Adelaide is different, but we've got used to that. Mum used to get home from work and see how we're going with our homework and schoolwork and all that. And if we weren't keeping up she'd kill us," he said.

"I get asked a bit whether if I got picked by an interstate club if I could cope, and I just say yes straight away because I've already moved home.

"Moving interstate would be different – I'm not sure if it would be harder or easier – but I've certainly got the experience already."

Mark plays for West Adelaide's under-18 side, with Sam likely to spend most of the season in its senior SANFL team. But Sam hasn't been playing much recently, after undergoing thumb surgery in February.

Having already missed seven weeks – including being sidelined for the AIS-AFL Academy's tour of Europe – Durdin is tracking well in his recovery and expecting to be back within three weeks.

That would give him a couple of games before the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, where he will be a key player for South Australia, likely down back but able to swing around the ground when needed.

He marks and kicks well, is comfortable under pressure, wants to be good and wants to back out there, as soon as possible.

"The injury is going better than first expected," said Durdin, who is rated one of the best talls of this year's draft.

"The timing of it will lead to me missing three or four SANFL games, but it's not overly bad at all.

"Last year I had a finger injury and I came back before the state team was picked and I'm in a similar position this year so I think it will be the same and I'll get through it."

Durdin spent the last week in London as one of 31 Academy squad members on a two-week tour of Europe.

Running drinks and watching on hasn't dimmed the experience for him as the tour moves to its next phase with a training camp in Varese, Northern Italy, at the Australian Institute of Sport's European base.

"Three years ago when I was back in Halidon playing for Loxton, I was thinking 'When am I going to get an A-Grade game and all this stuff and where am I going to be playing?' I never expected to even get taken to West Adelaide and then it just led on from that," he said.

"It happened so fast. Looking back you think 'How the hell did I get here?' I'm in London. I never thought I'd even come here in my life. It's crazy."

Twitter: @AFL_CalTwomey

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