Track watch: Rowan Marshall plays forward for St Kilda in new-look attacking set-up
SANFL recruit Harry Boyd has been given the keys to St Kilda’s midfield as Rowan Marshall transitions into attack. How will their split work? JOSH BARNES has the latest intel.
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St Kilda spearhead Max King pushed through his biggest session of pre-season so far as his potential key forward running mate Rowan Marshall showed impressive signs in attack.
The Saints finished their pre-Christmas training with a gruelling 150-minute session on Wednesday, taking in full-ground match simulation before a brutal running session to close.
Marshall played exclusively forward during two different match play stints, one full ground and another in just the attacking two-thirds.
Summer signing Harry Boyd took ruck duties while Marshall played forward, with the SANFL star rucking for a team wearing red that appeared to be virtually a full strength ‘A’ side.
Marshall clunked two big grabs near the goalsquare and dished out a direct goal assist in the shorter match play session, rotating with King, who also took two big marks.
With Boyd brought in as a mature ruck option, the Saints are testing out playing Marshall and King together forward more in 2025, after Marshall drifted forward to kick eight goals in his last five games of 2024.
King has been limited so far in pre-season while managing a knee issue and broke off to run laps after 90 minutes of training.
But the spearhead looked fit and was dangerous when playing up front.
Marshall’s contact has been limited after off-season wrist surgery and he wore a flouro hat to indicate limited contact but took part in the entire session.
Marcus Windhager (hamstring) and Liam Stocker (groin) stepped out of training to run with King, while Liam Henry (knee) watched on for part of the session and he hopes to rejoin full training in February.
Third-year Saint Mattaes Phillipou started in the first centre bounce for the red side, with Hunter Clark playing inside-midfield minutes.
Recruit Jack Macrae was a notable midfielder in the yellow bib on the ‘B’ team.
Both Jack Sinclair and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera played as high halfbacks during the full ground play, as did draftee Tobie Travaglia for the ‘B’ team.
Mitch Owens played only up forward and combined well with Cooper Sharman as marking targets, while Jack Higgins snuck in for multiple goals.
Second-year defender Arie Schoenmaker played in the ‘B’ defence but racked up the footy and took a strong intercept mark.
To the surprise of nobody, second-year midfielder Darcy Wilson easily led the exhausting running session, ahead of Windhager and Travaglia.
PLAYERS WHO IMPRESSED
Arie Schoenmaker – The long-kicking left-footer has to be on the SuperCoach watch list. He collected loose possessions at will during match play and took a towering grab deep in defence. The Saints will want to get gametime into him next year.
Angus Hastie – Wore a non-contact flouro cap but took in the entire session and impressed with his willingness to take on the game from halfback. Expect him to win more gametime next year after five appearances in his debut season.
Hunter Clark – Injury-free this pre-season, Clark played in the guts during match sim and combined well with skipper Jack Steele to feed the ball to runners. He will be praying for a fully fit season.
Liam O’Connell – Keep an eye on the uncapped Irishman. He was played as a key back in one drill then showed promising signs as a rebounder in full ground play. His kicking will still take work but he has promise.
SAINTS RISING STAR’S VOW TO RUN OPPONENTS RAGGED
St Kilda running machine Darcy Wilson is eyeing inside midfield minutes next year as he adds some bulk over the summer months.
The winger walked into Moorabbin as the club’s best runner, winning the 2km time trial in both of his first two pre-seasons, and slotted in perfectly on the outside of the midfield in 2024 to play all 23 games.
Like most up-and-coming stars, Wilson fancies himself as a centre bounce midfielder at heart and has been working closely with club legends-turned-coaches Robert Harvey and Lenny Hayes to inch closer to the inside.
“For me, chatting to Robert Harvey and Lenny, it is my contest stuff,” he said.
“Potentially I might have stints here and there, go and do the midfield. We are still working that out at the moment. Just (planing) to put on a little bit more size. I think I have got there over the past year but to continue to put on strength and power and work on my stoppage and contested work are my main focuses.”
Wilson averaged 15.3 disposals per game in his first year and finished fourth in the AFL Rising Star in an impressive debut campaign.
The advice the 19-year-old received from Harvey and Hayes sounded eerily similar to the style that won Harvey two Brownlow medals in 383 games, in which the Saint just ran harder and for longer than his opponent.
“With my running power I think Robert Harvey and Lenny said ‘if you can get into the midfield that would be great’ because of my running power getting from contest to contest and I could maybe run some opponents off their legs,” Wilson said.
“I think that is where I see myself in the future, hopefully in that inside role. To be honest, to bring it back to the team aspect, I am pretty happy to play wherever best suits for the team.”
The Saints are in the last stages of their pre-Christmas training block, with a final session to come on Wednesday.
Wilson picked out the athletic Hugo Garcia, recruits Jack Carroll and Jack Macrae, and third-year forward-mid Mattaes Philippou as pre-season stars so far.
“Hugo Garcia is looking really strong at the moment I can’t wait to see what he builds into with his strength and running capability,” Wilson said.
“We have Jack Carroll, who has come across and has really impressed at the Saints with his drive forward and use of his legs. Jack Macrae is an absolute star and we are so blessed to have him come across and give us some more maturity in the midfield.
“And Mattaes as well, hopefully taking another step forward in his game.”
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