2024 AFL Finals: Port Adelaide forward Todd Marshall out of preliminary final with concussion

Port Adelaide say it’s too early to consider Todd Marshall’s AFL career at risk because of another concussion.

Marshall will miss Port’s preliminary final against Sydney at the SCG next weekend after being stood down for 12 days under the AFL’s concussion protocols.

Marshall copped an early knock but passed concussion tests in the second quarter of the Power’s three-point semi-final win over Hawthorn on Friday night.

But further tests on the 25-year-old after the Adelaide Oval victory revealed concussion symptoms.

The semi-final was Marshall’s first game since being concussed and substituted out of a round-23 game against Melbourne on August 10.

That concussion was the fifth in a three-year period for the tall attacker - last season he was concussed twice in a month.

Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson says it’s premature to declare Marshall’s career is endangered.

“It’s certainly too early for that,” Richardson told reporters on Saturday.

“Clearly it’s concerning. We always take a really cautious approach with these things.

“I’m disappointed for Todd, I thought he was terrific early last night as well and played a really important role.

“Our medical guys will do everything they can to make sure we look after his health and wellbeing.”

Port midfielder Jason Horne-Francis has been cleared to play in the preliminary final despite suffering severe cramp in his left hamstring in the last minutes of the semi-final win over Hawthorn.

The Power hope Charlie Dixon will be fit for the SCG preliminary final after the spearhead was a late withdrawal from the semi-final because of illness.