After tragically losing both parents two years ago, Power youngster Todd Marshall is starting to find his feet at AFL level
Port Adelaide’s Todd Marshall has had a tougher journey than most in his short AFL career, but coach Ken Hinkley says the Power are starting to see some encouraging signs from their exciting young talent.
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Todd Marshall might just be starting to “really emerge” at AFL level, after the talented key forward thrust his name into contention as Port Adelaide’s second attacking tall threat.
Power coach Ken Hinkley says there is not a player who has had “as many challenges” as the 21-year-old in the early days of his AFL career, asking that supporters remain patient with the emerging young gun as he develops.
After getting drafted by the Power with Pick 16 in the 2016 draft, Marshall found his way into Port’s side in his first year of senior footy and played in the elimination final loss.
He then kicked seven goals in the first two games of 2018, but took time away from the club after the death of his father, Robert – just months after he lost his mother, Mary, to cancer.
Since then, Marshall has managed 13 AFL games in nearly two seasons and after he played a key role in Port’s thrilling 10-point Marsh Series win over the Western Bulldogs in Whyalla on Saturday, Hinkley hoped fans had been patient with Marshall.
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“We’ve been all waiting for Todd to grab some games and really emerge and I thought he did show signs (against the Bulldogs) that he is developing as a footballer,” Hinkley said.
“We lose patience, people, supporters, fans we lose patient with a young tall forward, but I challenge anyone in the competition to have had as many challenges as Todd Marshall has had in his early days as a footballer.”
Wearing the No. 4 jumper now vacated by former mentor Paddy Ryder, Marshall showed he could be the foil for spearhead Charlie Dixon in Port’s forward line.
Marshall finished with two goals, seven marks and 11 disposals against the Bulldogs, but his fine game was truly summed up by some clever work to save the ball on the goal line and set up Justin Westhoff for an easy goal, and a silky smooth dummy on former Adelaide Crow Alex Keath that had the Whyalla crowd in awe.
Quick thinking from Todd Marshall to find Westhoff.#MarshSeries pic.twitter.com/QZ7NDWzhbi
— AFL (@AFL) March 7, 2020
After Dixon went down with a minor groin issue, which Hinkley said should not rule him out of Round 1 against Gold Coast, Marshall’s importance to Port’s line-up was evident when he was swung back to defence to help hold off the Bulldogs with the strong wind at their back in the third quarter.
But while Marshall has all but played his way into a starting spot for Round 1 against the Suns, Hinkley said it wouldn’t necessarily be at the expense of exciting No. 18 pick Mitch Georgiades.
“No, we would like to be a bit taller in our forward line so we can support Charlie (Dixon) a bit more,” he said.
“That’s what you see and when we get those players emerging it’s a more dangerous look and opposition players start to guess ‘do we double team Charlie as much’ and let Marshall and Georgiades (go unchecked).
“You want triple threats in terms of tall players and it looks like we have a couple there at the moment.”
Hinkley also praised the work of Sam Powell-Pepper in his new role as a forward, saying he had been “instrumental” in getting the Power going at times in their pre-season games.
Originally published as After tragically losing both parents two years ago, Power youngster Todd Marshall is starting to find his feet at AFL level