IT WAS only midway through last year that Todd Marshall looked set for a promising cricket career as he travelled through England bowling off-spin on a junior tour.

But the exciting key forward returned to Australia wanting to follow his football more seriously. He made a quick impression, booting three goals in each of his first three games for the Murray Bushrangers earlier this year.

He was doing it then as a member of Greater Western Sydney's academy zone, having hailed from Deniliquin in New South Wales. But his swift rise brought the ire of rival clubs, who questioned his involvement with the Giants' academy system.

The AFL investigated the issue and pulled him out of the academy due to a "registration issue", leaving him available to all clubs in the open draft. His form throughout the year fluctuated but he remains in the top group of prospects.

He's a tall forward, and they don't come around all that often at the top end of the draft. Marshall's agility and movement for a 196cm player is rare: he's exceptional when the ball hits the ground and is adept at grabbing it off his toes, spinning and kicking a goal.

One such example was in the Murray Bushrangers' Grand Final loss, when he gathered a ball at top pace, picked it up and kicked truly in a flash. It was a moment of brilliance that made recruiters look up and take notice.

Marshall was the best key forward in the division two championships for NSW-ACT, including a four-goal haul against Queensland, and he is a quality kick and shot for goal. The 18-year-old is trusty in front of goal and cleverly thinks through his shots. He was also among the best handful of players for forward 50 pressure acts in the division one carnival for the Allies.

Marshall was never really able to piece together a complete game this season, leaving recruiters to sift through moments rather than matches of dominance. In 11 games for the Bushrangers he kicked 22 goals this year, but never more than three in a game.

His quieter form for the Allies was also a disappointing patch for him, and showed he needs to get more of the ball. He averaged fewer than six disposals in his four appearances in division one, and fewer than 10 for the Bushrangers across the season.

Marshall is still lightly framed too, which can limit his marking one-on-one and force him to get most of his touches on the lead. The 197cm prospect is only 85kg, so will need to add some muscle to his frame over summer to be able to compete better in marking contests. Injuries and cricket commitments have limited his ability to have a full pre-season, however, so he hasn't had that chance yet.

It's difficult to compare anyone to star Gold Coast forward Tom Lynch, but he is the type of player Marshall should be aiming to become. At a similar size and shape (when Lynch was drafted), Marshall has plenty of growth left in him.

Some big performances in the finals could have pushed Marshall into top-five consideration, but they didn't really come. He can still be a top-10 pick, but might now fit in deeper in the first round.   

Marshall is the best pure key forward in the pool, but there's still plenty of development to come in his game and make-up. He was sore towards the end of the season and battled injury, but if a club wants a tall forward to bring in, then Marshall would be first choice.