Danze was playing for his local side ECU Joondalup when talent scouts from Southampton offered him a professional contract. Danze turned down this contract, determined to prove himself in Australia before leaving to play football overseas. Instead he signed for Perth Glory in Australia for the 2000/2001 NSL season as a 16-year-old. Later in 2001 he joined the AIS in Canberra before returning to play for Perth Glory in 2002. During this time Danze played for the under 17 Australian national football team and the under 20 Australian national football team. Danze had success with both of these teams, scoring goals at both World Youth Cup Championships they participated in. The highlight in his international career was scoring two goals in a victory against Brazil at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. Following this success Danze signed for English Premier League club Crystal Palace in September 2004 on a three-year deal and made his debut in a League cup game against Manchester United at Old Trafford. During this time he played for the Australian Olympic Football Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, where Australia were eliminated at the quarter final stage.