Kieran King (2009)

[Grimreepah]

2008 National Draft, pick 81



Link

Date of birth: 5/3/91
Height: 180cm
Weight: 81kg
Club: East Fremantle

Bio: An attacking medium sized midfielder with good pace, who likes to take the opposition on with his run and carry, King is an AIS/AFL Academy graduate and was a highly-rated junior 400m runner.

Link

Kieran King is a medium sized midfielder from East Fremantle who is a very strong runner with good pace. He was a national 400m runner as a junior but has obviously favoured an AFL career over athletics. King is very much an outside player and still has a lot to learn about the game. There is no doubt with his pace that if he can learn how to play the game at AFL level then he can be successful.

[TheBrownDog]

Video of King in action.

[Grimreepah]

East Fremantle Football Club

East Fremantle Young Guns Head East
Wednesday, 03 December 2008

The East Fremantle Football Club is proud to announce that Liam Anthony(pictured right) and Kieran King(pictured left) will be heading east after being drafted by the North Melbourne Kangaroos and Brisbane Lions pick 43 and 81 respectively on Saturday.

Kieran, an outstanding junior runner debuted for the East Fremantle Football Club colts in 2007 and established himself further in 2008 playing 13 games.

A Rossmoyne junior, Kieran will add some pace to the Brisbane line up.

It’s an exciting time for all those who have been involved in Liam and Kieran’s development and all parties involved can be justifiably proud.

To Liam and Kieran, on behalf of the East Fremantle Football Club good luck and enjoy this new and exciting challenge.

Damien Gaspar
Football Manager
East Fremantle Football Club

Draft Profile

Kieran King Midfielder 181cm
East Fremantle 05/03/1991 80kg
King is an Australian junior running champion but proved in the 2007 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships that he is also a talented footballer. He averaged 19 disposals in the three games playing across half forward using his pace to full effect by ending the carnival with the second most running bounces of any division one player (13). He was able to do so because only 26% of his possessions were won in a contest, and he posed a threat pushing forward with an average of five inside 50s and two goals per game.

[TheBrownDog]

Could be a small forward option after watching that video.

[delirious1]

Played basketball against him now and then, would be the quickest bloke over 200-800m i've ever seen, no doubt i think he could of forged a career in athletics, No idea how he goes as a footballer however

[TheBrownDog]

Graeme Allan says: "Kieran is an outstanding athlete who was a national 400m runner as a junior and impressed Michael Voss during their time together at the AIS Academy."

[Grimreepah]

Attended WA State Screening

[scotty4]

can someone give us a hand finding the inside sport article on him?
i can somehow remember it but not sure how long ago it was

[Grimreepah]

Consolidated Draft Profiles

Kieran King - (OM) 5 March 1991, 181cm 81kg. WA/East Fremantle/Rossmoyne

"Nicko4: King is an Australian junior running champion but proved in the 2007 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships that he is also a talented footballer. He averaged 19 disposals in the three games playing across half forward using his pace to full effect by ending the carnival with the second most running bounces of any division one player (13). He was able to do so because only 26% of his possessions were won in a contest, and he posed a threat pushing forward with an average of five inside 50s and two goals per game."

"TheBigUnit: Kieran King - bottom ager, not sure what's happening with him re:athletics, becuase he's run some incredible times for a kid (national junior 400m champion), but footy-wise solidly built, lightning quick outside ball carrier. Only a SS invite though, which is surprsing."

[jgb99]

mjp on King

15/.Keiran King - Mid - East Fremantle

Elite runner, but can he play? I think someone will pick this kid, simply because he has speed like no-one else in the draft. His skills are pretty good as well, but his game sense/game impact is often poor. If a side was prepared to stick him on a half back flank in the seconds for two years and teach the kid how to play, then - then you might really have something.

I think his assessment is very accurate, in the end I thought it'd be 50/50 whether he got picked up, but at that point in the draft it's worth taking a punt on a bottom-ager and I guess the East Fremantle factor was too hard to deny

[Grimreepah]

Link

Among others to make AFL lists from far away destinations, new Brisbane Lions defender Kieran King, from East Fremantle, admits his drafting came from left field. The national athletics under-16 and under-17 400m champion vowed only last December to throw everything into his Olympic dream.
"It was footy I was going to give up, not athletics," he said.
"But it all changed, totally. I started the new (2008) season and found I was enjoying it more than my running. And here I am."
King was on the verge of selection for the world junior (under-20) titles, but, instead, chose to focus on football, playing with the East Fremantle Colts, as well as two games in the reserves.
According to Brisbane Lions football manager Graeme Allan, King has pace, stamina and skill.
"It's a good mix," he said.
King said he was shocked to be drafted.
"It was the second last pick, too," he said.
"I was going to really put my head down and try and have a good year with East Fremantle.
"Now I'm going to be in Brisbane trying out. It's just great."

[demonsboy87]

Pick 81.
Met him a few years back at athletics comp, good little runner, great pace.
best over 400.
surprised he chose to stick with afl over aths but ultimatley paid off.
wish him all the best, heres hoping the guy gets a game this season.

side note: goes to the same school as the newly million dollar contracted 'new york modelling' female model, looks like that school knows how to make teens successful.

[Grimreepah]

Stats for East Freo:

[Grimreepah]

Link

King’s Voss connection
By Simon White
11:43 AM Sun 30 November, 2008

WHILE the majority of AFL draftees start from scratch, Kieran King is looking forward to linking back up with a familiar face when he begins his career at the Brisbane Lions.King, picked up by the Lions with the No. 81 selection of Saturday’s draft is a graduate of the AFL/AIS Academy.
As such, he’s already come under the watchful eye of Lions coach Michael Voss.
“When I went on the AIS tour of South Africa, Nathan Buckley was originally the mentor for my midfield group but he (Voss) took over when Buckley had to head home for other commitments,” King said.
“To be able to learn from someone who has achieved so much in the game was amazing and I feel really comfortable knowing that he’ll be my first AFL coach.”
The young East Fremantle midfielder still had a year of junior eligibility remaining when the Lions made him the penultimate pick of the draft.
He followed the selection process with his family in Perth and thought his chance might have passed him by for this year as the end of the draft approached.
“I was hopeful that I might get drafted – but I certainly didn’t expect it,” he said.
“I was listening to the draft and it was probably more about seeing where all the other WA boys ended up, because there were so many of them.
“When I heard my name get called I wasn’t really paying all that much attention. I couldn’t believe it and I just sat in silence for about 10 seconds.”
A top notch junior athlete and 400 metre runner before focusing on football, King was one of three Western Australians snared by the Lions.

[Grimreepah]

Originally Posted by jgb99

I always thought it'd be 50/50 whether he got picked up

Don't be so modest:

jgb99 on King

From East Freo:

Kieran King
Liam Anthony
Nicholas Olds
Lewis Fasolo

The top 2 I'm very confident about going in the ND, bottom 2 rookies maybe.

Good work