Autopsy Round 8, 2024: St.Kilda v North Melbourne

[tomjoad]

Don't agree at all. I think its a reactionary judgement to say that. If you take away the emotion and frustration of watching him today and look at his career as a whole, consider his age, compare what he's done to other key forwards past and present at a similar point in their careers. Just the cold facts.

No one would trade him. Even if he never improves he's still probably a win at pick 4. We're just frustrated because he could be so much more.

I would prefer goal kicking skilful mids with game sense. A forward willing to lead to the ball, be an accurate kick for goal, chase when required, and lay a tackle...would also be a nice addition.

 

[tomjoad]

kings biggest issue is his attitude it seems. Has all the tools, but as soon as things aren't going his way, he loses all of his competitive edge and desire, and drops the bottom lip like a school kid. Gives away silly free kicks, doesn't chase at all, and looks totally dis interested. He's not the only issue though. Owens is going through a form slump, which can happen, but I still don't understand why he hasn't been used around the ball more?
Phillipou is the biggest worry. The way he is playing atm, he was lucky to get that 2 year extension. He runs to the wrong spots, looks so slow, isn't physical at all, and when he does get it, he never uses his raking boot. MUST get dropped this week for selection integrity. If I was Hastie I would be feeling hard done by being subbed off before Pou. Hugo has had a taste, time to go back and play some VFL. Hopefully collard can kick a few tommrow and come back in for a few games now. Webster makes our backline so much better, and gotta love haysey

100% agree. Good post.

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

People saying King should play higher up the ground is fallacy.
When juniors, it was described that Max was more your stay at home ful-forward, whereas Ben was seen as the more mobile one. Max has had issues with his body at a young age. I wouldn't be getting off him, because of this. When fit & firing, we all know how good he is.

 

[Saints43]

I don't think he got worse.

Before he was injured this year he was averaging career high possesions, score involvments and assists.

Last year he averaged career high goals per match.

A few games probably isn't enough to say he's getting worse.

He had a game where he zigged when he should have zagged today.
I don't get why this is so complex....

R1 Didn't play
R2 Plays
R3 Plays
R4 Didn't Play
R5 Plays
R6 Plays
R7 Didn't Play
R8 Plays

Why is he inconsistent?

 

[g_TRAIN]

I would prefer goal kicking skilful mids with game sense. A forward willing to lead to the ball, be an accurate kick for goal, chase when required, and lay a tackle...would also be a nice addition.

All I'm saying is we need to be realistic about what we have and what we might end up with if we traded him.

Trading him would be a massive, massive gamble.

 

[Saints43]

Went to the game

Probably lost most of this board at that point.

 

[g_TRAIN]

People saying King should play higher up the ground is fallacy.
When juniors, it was described that Max was more your stay at home ful-forward, whereas Ben was seen as the more mobile one. Max has had issues with his body at a young age. I wouldn't be getting off him, because of this. When fit & firing, we all know how good he is.

Ben isn't more mobile.

He times his leads better, kicks straighter but 7 possesions from Ben would be above average. He basically stays home all game and makes his touches count.

 

[The Cobra]

Ok at the risk of repeating myself since last season- Pou -

Absolutely driven and strong work ethic - but this off season get a sprint coach and work on your speed and athleticism- improve on those attributes & u will be a gun!

 

[Saint Watto]

Really cool the umpires have cracked down on push in the back exclusively against the saints

I could say a few choice words......several in fact.....but obviously can't.

We were gobsmacked all night at how many decisions went against us and how many that should've gone our way didn't.

A few around me I don't think appreciated my choice of words at times.

Incredible...!!!!!!!

 

[bergholt]

I wouldn't mind seeing the media give King a bit of a rocket this week. It's his 6th year now and he isn't taking that next step. Something has to fire him up.

My read of his mental state is that criticism is just going to make him go into his shell more. Very similar to Billings in that way.

 

[Diehard Saint]

I find it hard to be too critical of King. Put yourself in his shoes, he was drafted with a pretty big injury, has had some injury concerns interrupting basically every preseason since drafted. He had no key forward to look up to and learn from/be his mentor in our team. He struggled with goalkicking and wanted to get help, which was veto'd by the club.

He isn't performing as well as we want and he's capable of, but it's not hard to see why. I think his biggest problem is he's lacking confidence, and maybe some time in the VFL will help with that. I think it's important we have realistic expectations of him though. He's still our only true KPF, and that's a lot of expectations on him with very little support.

What he needs is for Roo to get off his fat behind in Texas and come back to mentor him. As I mentioned earlier he’s had no one to hand over the baton to him

 

[g_TRAIN]

Ok at the risk of repeating myself since last season- Pou -

Absolutely driven and strong work ethic - but this off season get a sprint coach and work on your speed and athleticism- improve on those attributes & u will be a gun!

I would say like Owens to a degree he needs to learn to find the ball. Without it having to be in the contest

 

[Saintscomemarchingin]

Ben isn't more mobile.

He times his leads better, kicks straighter but 7 possesions from Ben would be above average. He basically stays home all game and makes his touches count.

It was mentioned at the time, that Ben could play multiple key positions, because he was more mobile. Yes, the facts are that he now plays as a deep forward, probably moreso because of his clubs perspective.

 

[The Cobra]

My read of his mental state is that criticism is just going to make him go into his shell more. Very similar to Billings in that way.

I hear you and we need to be careful but if he is taking the time to read the rubbish on here he would be better off reading War & Peace or Gideons Bible!

 

[Saint Watto]

Beat a team of spuds - not overly impressive but 4 points is nice.

Wilson & Hayes big positives. Sincs classy as a mid.

Absolutely....take the 4 points and walk fast.

Nothing to really get excited about....we were pretty ordinary at times.

Wilson.....will be a gun....he's upper core body work surprises me at this early part of his career.

Big Jack.....love the guy....great to see him back.

Big Ro....did some really good work.

Sincs....what can you say.

Bonner did some howlers....and a few good things.

Mitch and Pou.....quite at times.

 

[saint66au]

Seven weeks after the event the Norf supporters look ridiculous.
Their boos were later than Jimmy's bump.

It was his first game back, and we'd have done exactly the same if the roles were reversed

 

[Saint Watto]

Wilson looks like he could be the best kid on our list now. Looks on track to be another Nas like recruit but more advanced at the same age.

How was the grab he took......luckily I was sitting down....it would have been embarrassing.....!!!!!

 

[Cairnsman]

My read of his mental state is that criticism is just going to make him go into his shell more. Very similar to Billings in that way.

That interesting, I made this comment elsewhere that King is starting to get a bit of a Billings feel about him.
Unfortunately one of the strengths you need in elite sport is resilience if you want to succeed as a high draft pick.

 

[bergholt]

I don't think you could take much from tonight's game except that Mason Wood

32

Mason Wood

Age

31

Ht

192cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.3

2star

D

8.3

2star

K

2.7

1star

HB

5.7

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

1.3

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

15.8

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

is very very important to this side.

 

[Saint Watto]

Wood coming in

And haven't we missed him....BIG TIME.

 

[Leap of Faith]

I could say a few choice words......several in fact.....but obviously can't.

We were gobsmacked all night at how many decisions went against us and how many that should've gone our way didn't.

A few around me I don't think appreciated my choice of words at times.

Incredible...!!!!!!!

People whinging about the umpiring. 22 - 18 in our favour

 

[westernsainter]

King v Curnow at the same point in their careers - keeping in mind Curnow missed all of 2020.

King is still this season plus next season away from the same point that Charlie properly broke out.

Some of you need to relax.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Yeah even though it’s North and sorry north but I feel so great after a win. What a difference it makes. I’ve dug out a bit of some frozen stuff out of the freezer and fired up Les zeppelin

 

[bergholt]

That interesting, I made this comment elsewhere that King is starting to get a bit of a Billings feel about him.
Unfortunately one of the strengths you need in elite sport is resilience if you want to succeed as a high draft pick.

I've known many of these guys, the private school boys who always had everything go their way because they were smart or attractive or good at footy or whatever. Never facing adversity until you're 20+ and in a pressure cooker elite sports environment isn't the best for building resilience.

 

[bergholt]

People whinging about the umpiring. 22 - 18 in our favour

Yeah a couple of guys sitting near us at the game said more to/about the umpires than they did about our players. Such a boring way to follow footy. They seemed like pretty boring dudes though so maybe that's their thing.