The first four rounds of the AFL season, and one man, has inspired me to write for the first time since the beginning of March 2020.
Max King has not done anything spectacular. He has not revolutionised the game. He’s not even the best or most important player at St Kilda.
But the fate of the club over the next decade is in his hands and on his boots.
Is that too much pressure to put on the back of a 21-year-old who’s yet to play 50 games, hasn’t kicked 100 goals and has already had multiple knee issues?
After a quiet Round 1, King has kicked 12 goals in three games. Not spectacular but it’s when these goals occurred that should excite every Saints fan.
He turned the games against Fremantle and Richmond, arguably breaking the spirit of the Dockers in 180 seconds of game time in Round 2, and doing similar against the Tigers.
He is there when the game is to be won. And he could have easily kicked more.
The criticism of him in 2020 was that he disappeared for large portions of the game. A lot of this was teams double or triple teaming him, but it was also to do with him learning more forward craft. He is still quiet for large portions of games, but now he re-emerges with a loud dominance that makes defences uneasy – especially late in a game, when structures break down.
King, the only man in the AFL who can pull off a mo and not look ridiculous, is pulling the Saints out of the doldrums they were in last year.
He is the man most likely to kick 100 goals in a season, and possibly the next most likely to give 1000 in a career a nudge.
Lance Franklin of the Swans celebrates kicking his 1000th AFL goal. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
But more than that, he’s given St Kilda something they haven’t had since Fraser Gherig was dominating the forward line: a focal point.
As good as Nick Reiwoldt was, and as good as Jack Steele is, there’s something about a key forward who can demand the ball, who can put the emphasis on a passage of play. Listen to the crowd over the last two weeks in particular.
When King started dominating, the crowd rose to him. When he got near the ball the crowd lifted. When the midfield was streaking forward all eyes turned to see where King was leading too.
This is the power of the key forward. And Max King has this power.
What the rest of the season will bring cannot be known. But with a competent midfield and Max King not getting any shorter, he has to be one of the favourites (if not the favourite) for the Coleman Medal. And maybe a ten-goal haul isn’t that far off either.
Even if neither happen, this will still be the season that Saints fans remember because of the emergence of Max King, a man already anointed by Paddy Ryder as the GOAT.
Chris M
Guest
Either Max or Ben King would be good to partner Logan McDonald. I would be happy with either twin no matter who turns out to be the better. I'm sure the club that has the lesser of the two will be almost as well rewarded.
Chris M
Guest
Ben will be good enough to make the club that has him satisfied.
Chris M
Guest
If not Max, maybe Ben. Whoever of the twins turns out to be better, the club that has the lesser of the two on its list won't lose too much. Either could form a great pairing with Logan McDonald if you can fit both within the salary cap.
Eureka
Guest
Even less have 3 - Kennedy, Darling, Allen ????
Fraser Gehrig's Mullet
Roar Rookie
Between Marshal, Ryder, Membrey, Hayes and Sharman they've got more talls than they can currently fit on the pitch. Very few clubs have 2 genuine A grade key forwards like Hawkins and Cameron. Melbourne certainly don't
Tassie.
Roar Rookie
Tim Membry is not a bad second up.
1dawg
Roar Rookie
Saints got the better brother. Ben will be like the younger Vosshisname.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Exciting player and it’s a shame his brother is out for the season. The game needs great full forwards.
1dawg
Roar Rookie
Sounds magical :thumbup:
Chris M
Guest
Max King may turn out to be good enough to kick 100 goals in a season and 1,000 goals in his career, but I think Ben King needs a little love when talking about the same possibilities. They are identical twins after all and can’t be too dissimilar. On the injury front we know that they have both suffered ACLs, Max before Ben, which hopefully won’t be the forerunner of more knee issues for either of them. Continuing injuries could easily derail the accumulation of goals over a long career, or even shorten it. Nonetheless, Max and Ben, despite being identical twins, are different people with slightly different strengths and weaknesses. That’s not entirely surprising since when both have played in the same team, Max has been forward and Ben mainly back. Max and Ben also won’t be on the receiving end of identical types of service from different team mates at different clubs. They may not both have the same team success since the draft has taken that out of their hands, at least for the time being. Apart from team success, it will be interesting to see who enjoys the better individual career but you would think that they would be comparable.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
very good player to have.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Max does have to crank out more than a quarter a game. When he does, fine. He looks close to retirement...needs to get rid of the moustache. Looks like Wow Jones.
robertbrob13226
Roar Rookie
Exactly no one , Hannebery (joke) as a saints fan last time I got excited was when Milne chased the ball near goals in GF ,So don,t go counting the chickens yet Saints fan 40 years +
Knackaz
Roar Rookie
Sydney will swoop in once again and recruit Max when he's at the peak of his powers in a few years and wants to escape the Melbourne bubble for the respected Bloods' culture ...
Charlie Turner Scalf
Guest
Max King Will Be The First Man And First AFL Player To Have A 100 Goal Season Reach The Magical 100 Join The Magical 100 Goal Club Gets The Ton And Fans Invade The Pitch To Celebrate Max King's 100 Goal Season And Max King's 100th Goal First Time Since 2008 When Lance Franklin Did It And Will Be The First Man And First AFL Player To Have A 1000 Goal Carrer Reach The Magical 1000 Join The Magical 1000 Club Gets The Ton Again And Fans Invade The Pitch Again 14 Seasons Later To Celebrate Max King's 1000 Carrer And Max King's 1000th Goal First Time Since 2022 When Lance Franklin Did It
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
Max King will be a champion but skilda can't rely solely on him.if gets injured who have the got else?
Maxy
Roar Rookie
I would offer him 1.2 million a season over 7 years,give 2 future 1st rounders and throw in Finlayson Marshall and Amon as steak knives.We get him and future 2 nd round pick..done deal