St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall opens up about his incredible journey to the AFL

Rowan Marshall deserves to live ‘a couple minutes away’ from St Kilda headquarters at Moorabbin. Because the sacrifices he and his family have made just to get to the big time are nothing short of inspirational.

Rowan Marshall deserves to live “a couple minutes away” from St Kilda headquarters at Moorabbin.

Minimal travel time to work is the 202cm rising star’s reward for a journey to the AFL which required dogged persistence and a whole lot of petrol.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE SUPERFOOTY PODCAST

Born in New Zealand, Marshall’s family moved to Queensland for his dad, Don, to play rugby.

When Don finished, due to arthritis, the Marshall clan — his mum, Jan, and two younger brothers — moved to Portland in Victoria’s southwest, settling on a 320-acre plot 10 minutes out of town.

Going from one end of Australia to the other was a big enough trip, but it was only the beginning.

Marshall, who said he was “gangly and uncoordinated” as a teenager, dreamt of playing AFL and under-18 team the North Ballarat Rebels offered him the pathway after some solid junior efforts in Portland.

Rowan Marshall is loving life since joining the Saints. Picture: AFL Photos

But the Rebels were based in Ballarat and so the journey began.

“In Year 12 it was a bit of struggle,” the 23-year-old told the Sunday Herald Sun this week after arguably the best match of his 20-game career against Collingwood.

“I’d have to leave school at lunchtime, every second week, and dad would drive me to Warrnambool, which was an hour away. Then I would get a bus to Ballarat, which was another two and a half hours away, train with the Rebels, then come back the other way, and get home about 11.30 at night.

“Dad would be waiting for me at the bus stop and drive me back to Portland. It was such a slog and I only played eight or nine games.”

Marshall had never been afraid of hard work. He’d been washing dishes at a local pub since he was 15, worked on the wharf where his father was a shift supervisor, and did “a bit” around the farm where they ran 100 head of cattle.

But thinking about what was required to make it to the AFL, for a kid who wasn’t full of confidence, almost ended the journey before it began.

Rowan Marshall goes toe-to-toe with Peter Wright in the under 18 championships. Picture: Colleen Petch

“My first pre-season with the Rebels we had to drive to Hamilton, which was nearly an hour away, and I remember a stinking hot day, 40C, and I’d had enough,” he said.

“I told mum I couldn’t do it anymore, but she sat me down for half an hour, said I had everyone’s support, all of Portland. She made me believe in myself, so I stuck it out.”

When the Rebels offered Marshall a second season, as a 19-year-old, he moved to Ballarat.

He studied, worked at the club and in a laundromat, and played nearly every game.

Marshall made the Vic Country squad, played four national championship games and jumped on to the radar of AFL clubs. But he didn’t get drafted, which he said was “devastating”.

It wasn’t the end, though. All that time on the road wouldn’t be for nothing.

INJURY: SHANGHAI MIRACLE FOR SAINTS SKIPPER

TOUGH TIMES: PARKER ADMITS HE WAS NO SAINT

DAVID KING: WHO WILL SURVIVE COACH BATTLE

Marshall aligned with VFL team North Ballarat and did 6am gym sessions run by strength and conditioning coach Chris Radford, who is now at the Western Bulldogs.

But as he clicked in to his 20s there was another roadblock. North Ballarat was aligned with North Melbourne, who had a big guy named Braydon Pruess and he took Marshall’s VFL spot.

Marshall had to play with local club Sebastopol and knew he had to play well.

“Marty Busch Oval wasn’t the best, it was muddy, a bit of a slog,” Marshall said. It was upgraded after he left.

Rowan Marshall celebrates kicking a goal for the Saints. Picture: Getty Images

“But going to the (AFL draft) combine gave me so much self-belief. I knew I had to dominate to try to get back into the VFL team. I tried to be best on ground every single week.”

Watched by Don and Jan, who kept chewing up kilometres to support their son, Marshall finally did enough.

He was taken by the Saints with their first pick in the 2016 rookie draft. It was an emotional day he, and his family, will never forget.

“Dad saw it first. He was in the lounge room, on the laptop. I was in my room on my phone because I was nervous,” Marshall said.

“I heard him yell, then refreshed my phone and saw my name. That’s the first time I have ever seen dad cry.

“I was stoked to get drafted and I was so happy for them. Mum and dad have put in so much effort over the years. They still come down pretty much every game, which is a huge commitment.

“It’s been crazy but I’m so happy.”