AFL Draft 2024: Brisbane academy prospect Sam Marshall reflects on his decision to move to Melbourne Grammar
Sam Marshall is the latest talented AFL Draft prospect to move interstate for a private school footy scholarship — and it wasn’t all smooth sailing. He opens up on the journey.
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Three years ago, AFL draft prospect Sam Marshall made the decision to move from the Sunshine Coast to Melbourne to chase his dream.
Marshall was given the opportunity to board at the prestigious Melbourne Grammar School and play with the Sandringham Dragons, who have had countless players reach the bigtime.
The Brisbane Lions Academy talent isn’t the first player to move interstate for a scholarship.
Geelong champion Tom Hawkins came down Finley in New South Wales to Melbourne Grammar and also played with the Dragons before he was taken as a father-son in 2006.
More recently, Tasmanian Ryley Sanders travelled across the Bass Strait through a Melbourne Grammar scholarship and enhanced his draft prospects with the Dragons before being taken at pick six by the Western Bulldogs last year.
Brisbane father-son talent Levi Ashcroft had a similar journey to Marshall growing up in Queensland, but his move down to Melbourne – when his brother Will was still in the junior system – was because of his father Marcus’ work commitments.
Marshall, who was with Sanders in the Melbourne Grammar boarding house last year, has emerged from his experience as a likely first round pick, with the hard-running midfielder invited to the first night of the draft.
“It was a pretty big move. I didn’t know anyone in Victoria. In the boarding house all the boys are pretty good to me, so it made the transition a bit easier which is good,” Marshall said.
It hasn’t been all smooth sailing, though, and he has a message for other Queensland talents considering the same move.
“I think now there’s definitely a pathway through Queensland, looking at last year all the Gold Coast boys who got picked up, I think four in the first round sort of thing,” Marshall said.
“Back when I decided to move to Melbourne, it seemed like there wasn’t really a pathway.
“I’d probably say keep going through the Queensland pathway because seems like it is definitely improving and seeing players get picked up now, so stick at it.”
THE REASONS
The talent pathway across Australia was hit hard by Covid.
Resources and staff were cut, games were postponed and abandoned.
Put simply, young talents coming through weren’t afforded the best opportunities in Victoria, let alone in Marshall’s hometown of Kawana.
Mark Browning, a Sydney Swans Hall of Famer, has taken charge of the Queensland talent pathway for 28 years and had spoken to Marshall’s father about the decision.
“It was more like, if we don’t do this we are going to miss the boat,” Browning said.
“It was an opportunity, where he was probably in the situation where even probably being on the Sunshine Coast was harder from a development point of view than being in Brisbane because his junior club weren’t in the high division of junior footy.
“I think it was like ah well, if we are going to do something, we might as well go the whole hog here.”
Marshall felt facing the cream of the crop in Victoria – which traditionally has the most prospects drafted and a host of recruiters watching each game – would help him get drafted.
“I just thought the best chance for me to get hopefully on a list was to be in the Victorian system,” Marshall said.
“Just because, not only a lot more exposure there but also play against best sort of thing.
“It sort of makes you want to push harder in training and stuff to rise to that level. And with the training at Sandringham, a lot of elite players there.”
LACK OF CONTINUITY
The experience proved to be somewhat challenging for Marshall in his draft year as he wore more jumpers than a T20 cricket mercenary.
Marshall played eight matches with the Sandringham Dragons in the Coates Talent League, six with Melbourne Grammar in the Associated Public Schools (APS) competition, four with the Allies at the national championships, two with the AFL Academy and received two VFL opportunities with the Lions.
Constantly jumping in and out of programs, Marshall found he played at his best in the Dragons’ premiership run at the end of the year when he had played solely in the Talent League.
It culminated in a best on ground display in the grand final, running amok with Ashcroft in his 28-disposal, two-goal outing.
“There’s been a lot of teams I’ve played for this year, so it’s been a bit challenging that way,” Marshall said.
“Playing for the Allies, academy, all that sort of stuff. I think it was a bit good at the end of the year with Sandy just being able to know that I am going to be there for the next six weeks.”
School footy scholarships can be a double edged sword.
While kids in these programs are blessed with extra assistance from highly credentialed coaches – Marshall had former AFL player and state league coach Brad Gotch and had former Northern Knights coach Leigh Clarke working closely with him – they are generally forced to play for their school rather than in the Coates Talent League.
The APS competition has a great top-end with many draft stars in it, but the depth drops away quick compared to the elite talent pathway.
Marshall’s school Melbourne Grammar, who offers less sports scholarships than other schools, also struggled throughout the year, finishing equal-last on the ladder.
It meant Marshall largely played a lone hand at APS level, in one game registering a whopping 50 disposals.
BETTER PREPARED
Off the field, Marshall had to learn to live on his own.
“It is pretty tough, normally the longest is about ten weeks (away from my parents). I can’t really go down on long weekends because I usually have footy on that week,” Marshall said.
“But they try and come down as much as they can so, it’s always good when I go back to the Sunshine Coast and see them.”
However, this boarding experience has helped him become more mature and professional over the past three years.
Now, he is much better prepared for the rigours of AFL footy — taking on plenty from Sanders in particular.
“I think it’s probably put me in good stead to hopefully get picked up and then look to live by myself and stuff like that, sort of what you do in the boarding house,” Marshall said.
“I always took my training pretty seriously but it’s probably just like the little one percenter things.
“Just having more knowledge around that because Ryley Sanders was in the boarding house last year and just seeing how professional he was with that sort of stuff, with recovery and diet and stuff.
“So I just tried to implement that into my program and I think it’s helped me in trying to be consistent this year.”
AFL DEVELOPMENT
On the surface, Victorian prospects get much better opportunities to enhance their draft chances than those in Queensland.
At the time Marshall departed that may have been true, but the Queensland talent pathway has worked hard since then to improve their programs and ensure those who are in the draft frame have successful careers.
The Suns Academy in particular has had recent success getting talented players to the big league.
First-round quartet Jed Walter, Ethan Read, Jake Rogers and Will Graham were taken last year and blistering midfielder Leo Lombard will join them in 2025.
And there several more promising talents coming next year, headlined by potential No. 1 pick Zeke Uwland.
The big advantage for Lions and Suns Academy prospects is the day-to-day AFL development they receive.
It is something Marshall benefited from himself during the pre-season, spending a month with Brisbane and living with Lions star Hugh McCluggage.
Browning believes the opportunities between the Victoria and Queensland are now on par.
“Everybody worries about how many everyone gets drafted, it is a numbers game. But the numbers are getting tighter and tighter the opportunities,” Browning said.
“We’ve changed a little bit in that we have really focused on making sure the ones that do get to an AFL club or AFLW club actually play and play pretty quick.
“Jaspa Fletcher is a great example, he comes into the AFL system at 18 years of age and he plays in two grand finals and one flag in his first two years.
“That wouldn’t have happened a few years back.”
What would Browning say to those considering the Marshall move?
“We can say, hang on, Leo Lombard stayed here and his experiences and opportunities are at least as good as what a Levi (Ashcroft) or Sam Marshall had, if not better,” Browning said.
“The advantage they’ve got is they can be developed day to day at an AFL club. Kids in country Victoria don’t get that, kids in South Australia don’t get that, kids in Western Australia don’t get that.
“It is so pleasing now that three years later that kids don’t need to do that.”
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