Max King

[Lavender Bushranger]

The problem is he doesnt want to. Far too happy to flop at any opportunity.

He is a good forward but he has to work hard and play hard if he wants to be a great forward.

I don't agree.

Hawthorn supporters have jumped on the flopping thing because of that appalling effort a couple of weeks ago.

Aside from that, he's clearly not a flopper.


The reason he sucked last night, and the reason he has mostly been meh for his career is because he plays in a team that cannot deliver the ball into its F50.

They just can't. They're awful. Their midfield lacks class and skill, and probably more importantly makes terrible decisions when going inside 50.

They are so predictable, that King gets double and even triple teamed constantly. Yet they still kick to him!!

 

[HairyO]

I don't agree.

Hawthorn supporters have jumped on the flopping thing because of that appalling effort a couple of weeks ago.

Aside from that, he's clearly not a flopper.


The reason he sucked last night, and the reason he has mostly been meh for his career is because he plays in a team that cannot deliver the ball into its F50.

They just can't. They're awful. Their midfield lacks class and skill, and probably more importantly makes terrible decisions when going inside 50.

They are so predictable, that King gets double and even triple teamed constantly. Yet they still kick to him!!

One of the footy shows had a highlights reel of him being soft in contests. Wasnt just our game.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

One of the footy shows had a highlights reel of him being soft in contests. Wasnt just our game.

Being soft is different from flopping though.

 

[HairyO]

Being soft is different from flopping though.

They go hand in hand. He takes the easy option.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

They go hand in hand. He takes the easy option.

I don't agree, overall. But maybe you're right.


But to be fair, I bet the footy show didn't show the dozens and dozens of times that he gets crunched by 3-4 defenders and brings the ball to ground, because his woeful midfield can't deliver the ball properly!

 

[My Tilly]

He's a young champion but the way Ross Lyon coaches is not setup for a dominant full forward.
Even when Hayes and Membrey return, nothing changes.
Defenders setup too quickly these days.

 

[Pomsta]

He looked Ok early against Richmond as he was hitting the packs and going for his marks. Then he decided to try and rough up Balta and stopped running at the ball. Not the sharpest tool in the shed. When he stays upright and hits packs he looks great and gets the ball. Doesn't do it enough.

 

[The 747]

He looked Ok early against Richmond as he was hitting the packs and going for his marks. Then he decided to try and rough up Balta and stopped running at the ball. Not the sharpest tool in the shed. When he stays upright and hits packs he looks great and gets the ball. Doesn't do it enough.

Neither is Balta.

But yeah, at this stage of his career does get sucked into the physical stuff and he is not a monster yet.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Neither is Balta.

But yeah, at this stage of his career does get sucked into the physical stuff and he is not a monster yet.

It tires him out too. He's clearly unfit - so wrestling off the ball for 20 minutes each quarter probably isn't the smartest move.

 

[PJays]

I really wanna see Max King

12

Max King

Age

24

Ht

202cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

3star

G

1.4

5star

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

1star

G

1.4

5star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

2.8

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

0.6

3star

G

1.4

5star

string some games together. In his 6th season and only managed 75 games.

Last year- preseason injured, missed first 8 or 9. Played a few, injured again, played a few. Played 11 games including one where he got injured in the first 20 seconds. So 10 games out of 24. Kicked 28 goals which is a solid return, but not consistently playing to where he's capable of.

This year started OK against Geelong and played well against Collingwood then suspended. Came back, out of form then injured.

He turns 24 in July. 24ish is the age key forwards often become seriously dangerous. Examples- Tom Hawkins

26

Tom Hawkins

Age

36

Ht

197cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

4.4

3star

M

5.5

5star

T

1.9

4star

G

2.1

5star

D

12.7

3star

K

8.6

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

5.1

5star

T

2.1

3star

G

1.6

5star

D

7.8

2star

K

5.6

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.0

3star

G

2.2

5star

, Harry McKay

10

Harry Mckay

Age

26

Ht

200cm

Wt

106kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.9

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

2.4

2star

M

5.5

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.4

5star

D

6.6

1star

K

4.6

2star

HB

2.0

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

2star

G

1.4

5star

D

8.8

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

4.4

4star

T

0.8

3star

G

2.0

5star

, Nick Larkey

20

Nick Larkey

Age

26

Ht

198cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.5

2star

K

4.6

2star

HB

3.9

3star

M

3.3

3star

T

1.5

3star

G

1.4

5star

D

7.0

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.0

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

1.0

4star

D

8.8

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.8

4star

, Charlie Curnow

30

Charlie Curnow

Age

27

Ht

194cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.3

3star

K

9.7

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.8

3star

K

6.4

3star

HB

4.4

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.8

4star

.

With the way St Kilda plays and our defensive structures we're usually keeping teams to 11-12 goals or less. if King can take a step forward and start bagging 3-4 goals a game consistently (which he's more than capable of) it will make a HUGE difference and suddenly those losses by 8, 4 and 1 become wins.

In those games King kicked 2.4 (Geelong), 0.1 and subbed off about 3QT (GWS) and DNP (Essendon). With him playing St Kilda would've beaten Essendon. With him playing well and/or kicking straighter St Kilda would've beaten Geelong and GWS. If King had taken one step forward and stayed on the field, St Kilda would be 4-2 or 5-1 instead of 2-4.

He's a confidence player. Just needs consistent games and some confidence and he can become a superstar. Clearly has the ability and now at the age where it can happen.

 

[ScrappyDo]

.He's a confidence player. Just needs consistent games and some confidence and he can become a superstar. Clearly has the ability and now at the age where it can happen.

Needs to grow the **** up and stop being a "confidence" player.

 

[PJays]

Needs to grow the * up and stop being a "confidence" player.

Plenty of players are "confidence" players. It's probably a personality type more than anything.

But having said that, it's totally normal for players to become more consistent as they age. Inconsistency is a hallmark of younger players, it's not just about personality.

I don't think he's a natural born leader and alpha male ala Wayne Carey. But he has immense ability. He just hasn't been able to stay on the field for any continuous length of time during 2023 and 2024.

He finished last season well (12 goals in 3 games including 3 in the final) and started this season alright before the suspension. You get the feeling a bag of goals isn't too far away, and you get the impression he's on the cusp.

I know I said that in 2022, and he ended up kicking 52 goals that year (a great effort for a 21/22 year old), but let's wait and see what he does if he can string 8 or 10 weeks together, now that he's had another pre-season under his belt.

 

[Sherrinator]

Just needs a start at a new club

 

[TheUnicorn]

Both King brothers are overrated.

 

[PJays]

Both King brothers are overrated.

They're both averaging a touch under 2 goals a game - Max 146 goals in 75 games, Ben 145 in 79.

That's comparable to many of the great key forwards at a similar age.

There are exceptions- like Jack Riewoldt and Buddy Franklin who won Colemans when they were younger.

But looking at the top key forwards of the past couple of decades, many of them didn't become consistent goal kicking machines until about 23/24- the age the King brothers are now. Or older. Josh Kennedy, Tom Hawkins, Jonathan Brown, Barry Hall, Charlie Curnow all included.

The King brothers records stack up nicely against those players at a similar age.

Both of them have been hampered by absences and injuries.

But looking at Max- 52 goals in 22 games in 2022. 28 goals in 10 games last year (11 but really 10), that pace would see him kick 62 goals in a full season of 22 games- which is far superior than any of those players had achieved by the same age.

If you look at Coleman medalists of the past 10 seasons (ignoring 2020)- so 2013-2023 where most seasons were 22 games (not 23 like now) the average is 69.1 goals.

Max King already tracked at 62 goals on a full-season basis, as a 22/23 year old. So he was a few goals off historic Coleman medal level pace as a 22/23 year old. In a defensively styled St Kilda team. Not bad.

 

[Freomaniac]

They're both averaging a touch under 2 goals a game - Max 146 goals in 75 games, Ben 145 in 79.

That's comparable to many of the great key forwards at a similar age.

There are exceptions- like Jack Riewoldt and Buddy Franklin who won Colemans when they were younger.

But looking at the top key forwards of the past couple of decades, many of them didn't become consistent goal kicking machines until about 23/24- the age the King brothers are now. Or older. Josh Kennedy, Tom Hawkins, Jonathan Brown, Barry Hall, Charlie Curnow all included.

The King brothers records stack up nicely against those players at a similar age.

Both of them have been hampered by absences and injuries.

But looking at Max- 52 goals in 22 games in 2022. 28 goals in 10 games last year (11 but really 10), that pace would see him kick 62 goals in a full season of 22 games- which is far superior than any of those players had achieved by the same age.

If you look at Coleman medalists of the past 10 seasons (ignoring 2020)- so 2013-2023 where most seasons were 22 games (not 23 like now) the average is 69.1 goals.

Max King already tracked at 62 goals on a full-season basis, as a 22/23 year old. So he was a few goals off historic Coleman medal level pace as a 22/23 year old. In a defensively styled St Kilda team. Not bad.

Key Position players take time to develop. His best years are infront of him.

Max King has had his fair share of injuries. But Saints know how good he is when he is fully fit and has a good game.

Saints want a season where Max King plays at least 20 games in a season.

 

[Dazb86]

Hearing Max might be looking for a move up north to play with his brother.

 

[PJays]

Right on cue King fails fitness test for tomorrow night

That's 14 games from 31 in 2023 and 2024 (ignoring the game where he played 20 seconds).

And those 14 games were in 4 different groups, with various injuries and 1 suspension breaking them up.

 

[Dazb86]

Right on cue King fails fitness test for tomorrow night

That's 14 games from 31 in 2023 and 2024 (ignoring the game where he played 20 seconds).

And those 14 games were in 4 different groups, with various injuries and 1 suspension breaking them up.

Sell while the market is up?

 

[Bill Crouse]

Hearing Max might be looking for a move up north to play with his brother.

Between his goal kicking and his injuries, I hope you are right and we can trade him while he still has some value. A straight swap for one of Rowell, Anderson or Flanders would be great.

I would prefer that he became a great player for us, but at this stage I seriously doubt that he will ever live up to his potential.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

re-signed for another 6 years. Bullet dodged for the rest of the comp.
If he isn't ruthless enough at wanting success by choosing to forgo it for his whole career would he become the star he was said to be when drafted.

 

[ElectricG]

re-signed for another 6 years. Bullet dodged for the rest of the comp.
If he isn't ruthless enough at wanting success by choosing to forgo it for his whole career would he become the star he was said to be when drafted.

Inexplicable really. Don’t wanna dump on the guy, I’m sure there’s a good player in there. But that club just is not the right fit for him.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Inexplicable really. Don’t wanna dump on the guy, I’m sure there’s a good player in there. But that club just is not the right fit for him.

They genuinely play better without him

 

[Freomaniac]

re-signed for another 6 years. Bullet dodged for the rest of the comp.
If he isn't ruthless enough at wanting success by choosing to forgo it for his whole career would he become the star he was said to be when drafted.

6 years is a long time

 

[demondavey]

6 years is a long time

Contracts mean very little. He could move on after two years but he has pushed himself into a hard place if nobody wants to take on 3-4 years of a contract. Then again it might all turn for them. Can’t see it with Lyon though. He isn’t getting them near a premiership.