Max King

[PhatBoy]

He turned 24 this year.

He wouldn’t be the first forward to suddenly ‘click’ at that stage of his career or thereabouts.
I don’t necessarily think he will but it’s far from unheard of

 

[Meteoric Rise]

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.

Good to see Max King will be entering next year trying to prove he is a good AFL player, about 3 years after you declared he had arrived at elite PJays. Did we ever get an official retraction from you over that? I actually got stoned in a pillory on here for even suggesting you were jumping the gun a bit and he had a bit to do before we could declare him elite.

But was this a rare case of me having been correct PJays?

 

[Meteoric Rise]

He turned 24 this year.

He wouldn’t be the first forward to suddenly ‘click’ at that stage of his career or thereabouts.
I don’t necessarily think he will but it’s far from unheard of

Not exactly nailing your colours to a mast with that post PB.

 

[PhatBoy]

Not exactly nailing your colours to a mast with that post PB.

Whoa ding ding ding, the MR alarm must have gone off to say that a Cats poster has written something. Better put the cape on and jump in the Tiger mobile.

 

[PJays]

Good to see Max King will be entering next year trying to prove he is a good AFL player, about 3 years after you declared he had arrived at elite PJays. Did we ever get an official retraction from you over that? I actually got stoned in a pillory on here for even suggesting you were jumping the gun a bit and he had a bit to do before we could declare him elite.

But was this a rare case of me having been correct PJays?

Well look, let's be fair, he's been smashed by injuries.

2022 wasn't quite "elite" but it was elite for a guy who turned 22 during the season- 52 goals and 48 contested marks. Goal kicking accuracy probably the only thing preventing true elite status that year.

Since then he's had 4 or 5 different injuries and the maximum consecutive games he's managed is about 7. Totalling 23 games played from 47 - less than 50%. And that includes at least 2 where he left the game early.

So, the jury's still out. Injuries can get anyone. Witness the early struggles of Charlie Curnow or Joe Daniher, both had it worse than King and barely played for a few years.

Let's see what King can do with a full pre-season and a full season.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Well look, let's be fair, he's been smashed by injuries.

2022 wasn't quite "elite" but it was elite for a guy who turned 22 during the season- 52 goals and 48 contested marks. Goal kicking accuracy probably the only thing preventing true elite status that year.

Since then he's had 4 or 5 different injuries and the maximum consecutive games he's managed is about 7. Totalling 23 games played from 47 - less than 50%. And that includes at least 2 where he left the game early.

So, the jury's still out. Injuries can get anyone. Witness the early struggles of Charlie Curnow or Joe Daniher, both had it worse than King and barely played for a few years.

Let's see what King can do with a full pre-season and a full season.

Player ratings go by average performance, so are not affected by games you miss. Max King's highest player rating saw him the 18th highest rated key forward in the AFL in 2023, with an average player rating of 8.68. The truly elite guys that year, Cirnow and Walker rated over 14.1. And remember, 2023 is the best Max King has performed in the 6 years since he entered the AFL system.

So starting this thread in early 2022 season declaring him as "arrived at elite" is, almost 3 full seasons later, looking rather ill-timed at the very least isn't it?

 

[PJays]

Player ratings go by average performance, so are not affected by games you miss.

Surely an astute observer like yourself understands the many problems with this.

Preparation, and continuity matter. A lot. Especially for younger players.

Let me repeat - the last time King strung more than 7 consecutive games together was 2022. He's also had interrupted pre-seasons since then.

In 2022 King finished 6th in the Coleman and was one of the best contested marking forwards going around.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Surely an astute observer like yourself understands the many problems with this.

Preparation, and continuity matter. A lot. Especially for younger players.

Let me repeat - the last time King strung more than 7 consecutive games together was 2022. He's also had interrupted pre-seasons since then.

In 2022 King finished 6th in the Coleman and was one of the best contested marking forwards going around.

It matters that he hasn't had continuity, there is no argument about that. And if he gets continuity, like most players, we are likely to see a different level.


It remains true however Max King has never arrived at elite performance. You would want to see him being one of the 5 best performed key forwards in the AFL over a whole season to say he is elite. And to say he has properly made it to the top he needs to string together multiple seasons in the top 2-3 key forwards in the comp. That would match guys like J Riewoldt-Hawkins-Kennedy through their primes.

 

[PJays]

It matters that he hasn't had continuity, there is no argument about that. And if he gets continuity, like most players, we are likely to see a different level.


It remains true however Max King has never arrived at elite performance. You would want to see him being one of the 5 best performed key forwards in the AFL over a whole season to say he is elite. And to say he has properly made it to the top he needs to string together multiple seasons in the top 2-3 key forwards in the comp. That would match guys like J Riewoldt-Hawkins-Kennedy through their primes.

That's all fair

Like I said he was almost there in 2022, not quite but almost. 2023 I think he showed enough that if he'd had a pre-season and full year he would've been right there.

2024 he regressed, but I'm willing to suspend judgement because he looks completely lacking confidence. Hopefully with a healthy run and 8 months of strength and conditioning heading into 2025, he'll be confident with his body, and the confidence in his game will follow.

 

[maskmcgee]

Ben's better

Told you