South Australian forward Mitch Marsh has been one of the biggest risers in 2025 off the back of strong form for West Adelaide and for South Australia.
Marsh's stocks soared at a massive U18s National Championships, kicking 12 goals to earn All-Australian honours and spearhead South Australia's forward line.
He also kicked 19 goals from 16 games for the Westies' U18s in 2025 and averaged 11 disposals.
His aerial capacity was impressive, and he proved almost impossible to get on top of in one-on-one contests, not just because of his marking, but also because of an athletic profile underpinned by speed, which allowed him to burn off key defenders.
At 191cm, he won't be a key forward at the next level, but he has proven that he has the traits to be effective as a different type of forward, potentially higher up the ground or even as a winger.
West Adelaide played him in the latter position at times in 2025 to show off his balanced skillset, with his field kicking in particular during his time there coming to the fore, having been somewhat concealed when most of his kicks were shots on goal.
His excellent endurance also shone through, with Marsh having won SA's 2km time trial earlier in the year and consistently running games out well.
When the ball gets into his hand, something usually happens, and once he gets a sniff, he usually runs with the momentum and can be hard to contain, so he shapes as a likely top 15 selection at the AFL Draft.
| 19 RANK | | Mitch Marsh West Adelaide Forward HEIGHT: 191cm | โถ+ |
Strengths
Goalkicking
Marking
Follow-Up Work
Draft Range
Pick 10-20
Potential Landing Spots
Sydney (Pick 10)
West Coast (Pick 13)
Adelaide (Pick 16)
