Max King

[MisterMarcus]

Can’t really blame King for last night.

Apart from a burst in the second quarter, the Saints movement and delivery inside 50 was abysmal.

 

[Ricketz]

Can’t really blame King for last night.

Apart from a burst in the second quarter, the Saints movement and delivery inside 50 was abysmal.

Add to that King had a number done on him last night.

By his own team mates in the forwardline. Pretty much every single marking contest he was monstered from all sides.

Not one bit of protection from his team mates who were either speculating or ball watching.

Certainly none of them were providing body on their opponent, nor were the providing options to stretch the defence.

He was frustrated and I don't blame him.

Of course, that takes nothing away from SDK's performance - he was excellent.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

The numbers

Goals - 5th in the AFL with 46 goals

Score Involvements- 7th amongst key forwards, 24th in AFL with 118 score involvements.

Contested marks- 1st in AFL (Equal with Tom Lynch) with 44 contested marks

For me it's always been the eye test that shows King's ability and immense potential.

But those key numbers pretty comprehensively do show he's consistently getting it done and deserves to be rated top 10 (if not top 5) amongst key forwards.

I'd expect most would have him ahead of several on the list posted above by Meteoric Ruse

Here's a thought experiment. If the AFL introduced a 19th team next year and they could pick one key forward to add to their team for one season only (to avoid biasing the discussion against a veteran like Hawkins), who would be your top 5 or top 10? And ignoring off field factors like Buddy's star factor

Neutral fans feel free to chime in

To kick 50 goals in that team as a tall forward is the stuff of legends.

My god St Kilda are hard to watch.

 

[Cadillac]

To kick 50 goals in that team as a tall forward is the stuff of legends.

My god St Kilda are hard to watch.

And yet, they’re the team you support.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

To kick 50 goals in that team as a tall forward is the stuff of legends.

My god St Kilda are hard to watch.

Jack Riewoldt kicked 51 in a worse performed team last year and people seemed to think he was finished. So I am not sure you have the bar set in the correct place for “stuff of legends.”

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Jack Riewoldt kicked 51 in a worse performed team last year and people seemed to think he was finished. So I am not sure you have the bar set in the correct place for “stuff of legends.”

'Worst performed' isn't what I said.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

And yet, they’re the team you support.

No they're not.

As I've said many times on here, I follow 2-3 teams each year.

St Kilda were one of them a couple of years ago, but not this year.

I don't particularly like any of their players, coaches or admin people. They're dreadful to watch.
So no, they're not one of my teams.

 

[PhatBoy]

Can’t really blame King for last night.

Apart from a burst in the second quarter, the Saints movement and delivery inside 50 was abysmal.

He was blanketed by SDK but I actually thought he was one of the few saints who kept presenting on what was generally a shit night for him

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

...the Saints movement and delivery inside 50 was abysmal.

It's like that every time I've seen them play.

Just awful.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Pretty much every single marking contest he was monstered from all sides.

Not one bit of protection from his team mates who were either speculating or ball watching.

Certainly none of them were providing body on their opponent, nor were the providing options to stretch the defence.

Again... it's like this every time I've seen them play.

They must be the easiest team to play against.


I've said this before, but I'd be getting out of there as quick as I could if I was King. His career will fizzle out if he keeps playing under that style.

 

[blaisee]

He also has no one competing with him in the forward line from his own team, so he is doing ok Shai.

but not as good as Stengle right?

 

[Ricketz]

but not as good as Stengle right?

Waiting all weekend for that? What a waste of time. Can I sublet that room I have in your head? It's run down and I don't want to live there.

 

[blaisee]

Waiting all weekend for that? What a waste of time. Can I sublet that room I have in your head? It's run down and I don't want to live there.

"Rent free in your head"

Never heard that one before

What's next, you gunna talk about Cotchins wife?

Cats fans are the best, always so classy in defeat

 

[Freomaniac]

Played probably one of the best games of his career so far and here you are stinking up the thread with your garbage tier trolling. Do better.

You would of been gutted tonight.

Max king was everywhere in that forward 50 in the 2nd half. Kicked 5 behinds sadly.

 

[Freomaniac]

For all the talk of King being a crap kick at goal, if you take out his two 'misfire' games this year (1.3 and 1.7) he's kicked 27.11 from 8 games. An avg of 3.4 goals and 1.4 behinds.

That says to me that he's generally a pretty good kick but can let an early miss or two get in his head and struggle for the rest of the day. That should iron out with maturity. He's due to play his 50th game after the bye and many believe that footy players only start hitting their stride after 50 games. It's pretty exciting to think that he has another level to go to.

Kicked 5 behinds tonight sadly vs Brisbane

 

[GC2015]

Kicked 5 behinds tonight sadly vs Brisbane

He's kicked 47.41 for the year. Would he have kicked more than 6 shots at goal out on the full for the year? If so, he's literally a less than 50% shot on goal. Ben King appears to be a far better shot on goal after kicking 47.25 last year.

 

[2006_Eagles]

Why did Saints brass say no to Lordo continue working with King?

 

[The Casey Cat]

Literally helped kick his team out of the contest tonight (although he had some friends early in the last). Absolutely unprofessional, amateurish level set shot kick for goal.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Now, how is big Maxy getting on?

21 rounds in so his season is starting to take shape.

47 goals. 8 goals assists.

Average 2.62 goals + goal assists per match. Where does that sit amongst key forwards?


1. 3.85 Hawikins
2. 3.6 Cameron
3. 3.55 Curnow
4. 3.37 Walker
5. 3.25 Lynch
6. 3.2 Naughton
7. 3.05 Franklin
8. 3.0 Wright
9. 2.93 Lewis
10. 2.75 Daniher
11. 2.71 Gunston
12. 2.66 J Kennedy
13. 2.65 McKay
14. 2.62 M King
15. 2.55 Mihocek
= 16. 2.5 Lobb Hogan
18. 2.45 Chol
19. 2.44 T McDonald
20. 2.42 Marshall
21. 2.4 Dixon
22. 2.39 Riewoldt
23. 2.27 Fogarty
24. 2.22 Larkey
25. 2.1 Membrey
26. 2.07 Taberner
27. 2.05 Darling

So in terms of key position forwards King sits a respectable but well below elite level 14th. If you isolate just the main target in each team he sits 11th of 18. But teams like Collingwood don’t run with a consistent conventional main target tall forward, and Chol, Lobb who are right behind Max double as second rucks. So from that very strong cohort of main target key forwards Max is a fair way below average.

And overall AFL all forwards where does Max sit?

Non-key forwards:

3.4 N Cumberland
3.14 C Cameron
3.1 T Greene
3.07. T Papley
3.05 B Fritsch
2.75 S Bolton
2.74 L Breust
2.65 I Rankine
2.55 I Heeney
2.5 T Stengle
2.4. J Higgins
2.3. C Wingard J Stringer L Schultz M Bontempelli
2.2. S McAdam. B Ainsworth
2.12 C Zurhaar
2.05. C Weightman J Ginnivan K Pickett C Petracca
2.0 J Jeffrey. J Elliott. L Ryan S Switkowski G Rohan


So big Max sits 22nd overall in the AFL for average goals + goal assists.

So I know many will hate me pointing this out, but that is definitely not elite by any sensible definition of that word. 8 contested marks in his last 6 games suggests big Max may be tiring a bit as the regular season draws near to its finish.

Hopefully does some good work on his accuracy over the summer and you would only expect him to improve next season but I think 2024 is more likely the year big Max breaks into the big league with the top key forwards. It is interesting to note his contested marks have dropped from 2.5 to 2.3 average from 2021 to 2022. And his goals + goal assists has stagnated at 2.6 across the two seasons. Some of his other markers like disposals, contested possessions and score involvements have improved slightly. And of course behinds.

 

[Angus Young]

Feel sorry fo Saints fans...

That goal kicking was so shit. Cost the game.

 

[Saint12]

Now, how is big Maxy getting on?

21 rounds in so his season is starting to take shape.

47 goals. 8 goals assists.

Average 2.62 goals + goal assists per match. Where does that sit amongst key forwards?


1. 3.85 Hawikins
2. 3.6 Cameron
3. 3.55 Curnow
4. 3.37 Walker
5. 3.25 Lynch
6. 3.2 Naughton
7. 3.05 Franklin
8. 3.0 Wright
9. 2.93 Lewis
10. 2.75 Daniher
11. 2.71 Gunston
12. 2.66 J Kennedy
13. 2.65 McKay
14. 2.62 M King
15. 2.55 Mihocek
= 16. 2.5 Lobb Hogan
18. 2.45 Chol
19. 2.44 T McDonald
20. 2.42 Marshall
21. 2.4 Dixon
22. 2.39 Riewoldt
23. 2.27 Fogarty
24. 2.22 Larkey
25. 2.1 Membrey
26. 2.07 Taberner
27. 2.05 Darling

So in terms of key position forwards King sits a respectable but well below elite level 14th. If you isolate just the main target in each team he sits 11th of 18. But teams like Collingwood don’t run with a consistent conventional main target tall forward, and Chol, Lobb who are right behind Max double as second rucks. So from that very strong cohort of main target key forwards Max is a fair way below average.

And overall AFL all forwards where does Max sit?

Non-key forwards:

3.4 N Cumberland
3.14 C Cameron
3.1 T Greene
3.07. T Papley
3.05 B Fritsch
2.75 S Bolton
2.74 L Breust
2.65 I Rankine
2.55 I Heeney
2.5 T Stengle
2.4. J Higgins
2.3. C Wingard J Stringer L Schultz M Bontempelli
2.2. S McAdam. B Ainsworth
2.12 C Zurhaar
2.05. C Weightman J Ginnivan K Pickett C Petracca
2.0 J Jeffrey. J Elliott. L Ryan S Switkowski G Rohan


So big Max sits 22nd overall in the AFL for average goals + goal assists.

So I know many will hate me pointing this out, but that is definitely not elite by any sensible definition of that word. 8 contested marks in his last 6 games suggests big Max may be tiring a bit as the regular season draws near to its finish.

Hopefully does some good work on his accuracy over the summer and you would only expect him to improve next season but I think 2024 is more likely the year big Max breaks into the big league with the top key forwards. It is interesting to note his contested marks have dropped from 2.5 to 2.3 average from 2021 to 2022. And his goals + goal assists has stagnated at 2.6 across the two seasons. Some of his other markers like disposals, contested possessions and score involvements have improved slightly. And of course behinds.

Does this make you feel better about yourself

 

[BigPond101]

Why did Saints brass say no to Lordo continue working with King?

They said he would get confused by having too many different coaches with different messages

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Does this make you feel better about yourself

Why would it? Does it make you feel worse about yourself?

The kid was 21 when PJays started the thread, declaring him elite. I thought at the time that was likely to be premature, rather than ultimately wrong, and I still think the same.

It is funny that King and Rayner collided in this game, with Rayner’s 4.0 v King’s 0.5 being the difference in the result. There were threads started around the same time about both these players, who are not too far apart in age, both being 22yo as I write this. On this thread, people were falling over themselves to declare Max King a jet, elite, etc etc. On the Rayner thread the exact opposite was happening, a lot of posters wanted to sell his stock for all they were worth. Now of course, King has struggled as the season has progressed and Rayner’s reputation has steadily improved as the season has progressed.

I do think it is now obvious they will both be very good players, but their seasons have shown the folly of making judgements based on a few matches at the start of the season.

 

[Osho]

The poor fella's confidence was shot by night's end when they needed him to hold on to marks he was getting both hands on. He was gone by that stage.

He will bounce back. He's too good not to. Good players come back from bad perfomances. Happens often. He will learn NOT to listen to media pundits or toxic fans. He'll be better for that.

 

[Osho]

but their seasons have shown the folly of making judgements based on a few matches at the start of the season.

..and the end of the season?