WEST Adelaide forward Mitchell Marsh, not to be mistaken for the Australian cricketer nicknamed ‘Bison’, harbours great potential. The athletic aerialist has been a shining light for the Bloods across the last two seasons, and is the club’s sole state academy representative in 2025.

To date, the 189cm marking target has booted 12 goals in six SANFL Under 18 appearances, averaging six marks per outing as a true forward spearhead. With the representative season on the horizon, we put Marsh’s Round 6 performance against Sturt under the Player Focus microscope.

>> SANFL U18s: Round 6 Scouting Notes

West AdelaideTall Forward

Mitchell Marsh

Height: 189cm

Weight: -

DOB: 15-02-2007

2025 AVERAGES (6 games):

12.0 disposals, 6.0 marks, 2.7 inside 50s, 2.0 goals (12 total)

THE EXPERTS SAY:

“Mitch has just completed one of the best preseason training blocks we have seen for a while at State Academy level. He won all three of our 2km time trials with a time considered elite across the national talent pathway. He also regularly led the way in our conditioning sets and full oval ball movement drills while also building size and strength in the gym. Mitch has played predominately as a mobile tall forward at West Adelaide in U16s and U18s last year. He has worked really hard on improving his body contest craft so he can have an improved impact as a forward in stationary marking contests to complement what he can do on the move as a marking target.” – SA U18 coach Tony Bamford

>> FULL SQUAD: South Australia Under 18s

PLAYER FOCUS

2025 SANFL Under 18s: Round 6
West Adelaide 7.3 (45) def. by Sturt 12.8 (80)

#18 Mitchell Marsh (West Adelaide)
Stats: 15 disposals (12 kicks), 8 marks (3 contested), 10 hitouts, 4 inside 50s

FIRST QUARTER:

Being the centrepiece of West Adelaide’s attack, Marsh was made to work hard and helped his side connect the lines as a leading target up the ground. He spent a lot of the quarter roaming between the arcs, especially as Sturt hogged possession with slow kick-mark play.

Marsh tracked his opponents up the ground to guard space, though several Sturt defenders padded each other’s stats by chipping the ball around freely. The Westies spearhead looked most dangerous when using his running ability to lead at the kicker and clunk marks.

He did so with greater proficiency later in the term, charging up to half-forward before wheeling around to blast the ball inside 50. His raking left boot was hit-or-miss in the long-range, though Marsh found more success when making measured passes either short or inboard.

SECOND QUARTER:

Marsh was the player to unlock West Adelaide’s second quarter scoring, being involved in all three of his side’s goals. He directly assisted the first via Anthony Long, marking strongly in a one-on-one contest atop the forward 50 before blasting the ball long to the goalsquare.

Another score involvement followed as Westies broke ahead 20-9, and later as they took a 26-22 lead with five minutes left in the half. While the Bloods would end up trailing at the main break, it wasn’t without inspiration from their go-to attacking avenue and biggest threat.

Marsh has always been a terrific marker of the ball but has improved his strength and craft, as shown as he engaged his opponents. He ended up rucking around the ground and using said attributes to get his hand to the ball, competing quite well despite being undersized.

>> Player Focus: Ben Francou (North Adelaide)

THIRD QUARTER:

The scoring opened up in term three, though unfortunately for Marsh and West Adelaide, it saw Sturt open up a 22-point buffer heading into three-quarter time. Marsh spent more time in the ruck, trying his hand at the centre bounces where he could showcase his spring.

In his time up forward, Marsh a gilt-edge chance running over the back towards goal but couldn’t quite catch up with the ball and keep his feet. He was also beaten in a rare instance by Kale Matthews-Hampton as the pair soared in an aerial contest, and finally spilled a mark.

Perhaps those moments were indicative of the taxing nature of Marsh’s role, made to work up and down the ground while pinch-hitting in the ruck. When able to get his hands on the ball he again showed good touch in the short range, but still sought to blast the ball long if given a chance going inside 50.

FOURTH QUARTER:

Sturt’s midfield started humming in the second half and that meant Marsh saw limited opportunities forward of the ball. West Adelaide could have done with cloning him to have an option down the line out of defence, one at half-forward, and another inside attacking 50.

Working with what was realistically available to him, Marsh took a nice mark hitting up to the 50m arc and backed himself to take the set shot. The attempt fell short and wide, and was just about the perimeter for many of Marsh’s disposals on the day. Hence, his first goalless game of the season.

SUMMARY

Marsh is a player with serious potential who will likely only get better with a step-up in competition. If he can be freed up as the second or third tall forward in South Australia’s lineup, look out, because he’s a difficult player to stop in full flight. Not having to chop out in the ruck can’t hurt, either.

With good athleticism and a strong running base, Marsh can run his opponent ragged as a mobile marking target. His improvement in one-on-one situations is promising and will help him compete as a slightly undersized player for his position. Changing gears when running to space will yield improvement.

The faster pace and slicker ball movement at National Championships level should play into Marsh’s hands. He’s capable of contributing as a connection piece up the line or threat closer to goal, and can help others thrive in either role with his left-foot kicking. He can go short and sharp, or long and strong.

How he fits in at the next level is an interesting question. Could he continue down the same path and become a Logan Morris type of tall forward? Maybe a wing would suit his running base and marking nous up and down the line. Either way, there’s plenty to work with if he can get into an elite program.