What the Todd Marshall injury means for Port Adelaide’s forward line

Port Adelaide will be without key forward Todd Marshall for at least a large portion of the 2025 season.

The 26-year-old ruptured his Achilles tendon at training on Monday and will now be sidelined for a lengthy spell.

Marshall, who has also suffered multiple concussions across his 116-game career, kicked 21 goals from 19 outings in 2024 which ranked sixth at the Power.

He has struggled to find consistency during his eight seasons in the AFL system which has delivered plenty of setbacks along the way, but he has still kicked 159 career goals including 20 or more in each of the past four seasons.

Following his latest misfortune, Kane Cornes and Sam Edmund discussed the talented Marshall and whether his career could be at the crossroads despite being contracted with Port until the end of 2029.

“I think that’s fair, saying his career is at the crossroads,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.

“I think it probably was before the Achilles injury due to the head-knock situation and how prone he had become to getting concussed and the anxiety that causes. One or two further head knocks and he’d be having serious discussions and now on top of that the Achilles injury.

“It’s a huge blow for them. I know they were rapt with how he had returned having been given the all clear (from the head knocks). Then to have this happen is devastating.”

Cornes, a Power great, forecast what the side’s forward line will look like this coming campaign in the absence of Marshall and following the retirement of Charlie Dixon.

“I guess the blessing is the (Jack) Lukosius signing. He can play that similar role,” he added.

“They would be hoping to get a lot more out of Ollie Lord and of course Mitch Georgiades who has become a bona fide AFL player now and had an excellent season returning from that ACL.

“The forward line looks ok but Todd was set to be the future of that, that’s why they did sign him for that five-year contract extension. That’s not looking like a great one for them now.”

Edmund feels despite the loss of Marshall that Ken Hinkley still has a decent attack on his hands ahead of a crucial season for the Power.

“It’s a strong front 50,” he said.

“You get Sam Powell-Pepper back, Willie Rioli is there and you fold in Georgiades, Lord, Lukosius, and they’ve got (Joe) Richards across from Collingwood.”

Cornes added: “They drafted (Joe) Berry with their first pick (15) who they’re rapt with. As it sits now he will start in Round 1.

“The forward line looks ok but a big blow for Todd.”

Georgiades booted 44 goals to lead the way for Port last year ahead of Rioli’s 33, with Darcy Byrne-Jones (28), Jason Horne-Francis (27) and Dixon (24) returning more than Marshall’s 21.

The Power take on St Kilda in the AAMI Community Series at RSEA Park on March 1 before setting their sights on the Round 1 trip to the MCG where they meet Collingwood on March 15.