Autopsy Round 8, 2024: St.Kilda v North Melbourne

[Saint Watto]

Bloody hell!

First it was Titanic; now it’s Godzilla

Doc....it's not even Monday yet and your hitting the home runs.

Your graphic work is....ummmm.....breath taking to put it mildly.

 

[botts]

Contract status?

 

[EddieMurphy]

That was then, wouldn't be the first player to go through significant growth spurts and lose attributes, he a massice unit these days and looks sluggish is my point and doesn't look anything like a full time midfielder is the point I'm making, too sluggish to be a full time midfielder...you need to be a little zippy for that full time midfielder role, he's almost growing into a KPP and possibly has one more growth spurt left in him which can still happen around the 21 year old mark

He had had his growth spurt when that was written. Fast twitch fibres are genetic and don't go away, only things like what Luke Ball had OP? seem to reduce legspeed.

 

[bergholt]

Max has been a St Kilda fan his whole life.
Pretty sure he’d have had the resilience already.

As someone posted earlier, he needs to get a consistent run of games. This in /out business is not helping.
He’ll be fine, just needs no interruptions from now on.

I’d like to bookmark the posts talking about trading him and bring them out end of next year.

Yeah it's a fair point and I probably went a bit over the top last night.

 

[_Maximus_12]

I agree, let’s trade our 2m key forward who’s proven to be a gun but has struggled for continuity over the past season and a half. At 23 years old he really should be able to come back early from a knee injury and perform at his peak.

Let the man string 5+ games together and the entire AFL world will be lauding his ability.

 

[bergholt]

Seriously, turn it up. Max ruptured his ACL in his 18th year. No ‘adversity’ though. Has played with big injuries including a bung shoulder last year. No ‘adversity’

Yeah it's a fair point. That said I don't know him personally - maybe some here do - but he seems very similar to a persona that we've all seen fail in the AFL before. Fingers crossed he's not.

 

[Xxxx66]

Yeah a solid effort by our fans. It was a really good vibe at the ground I thought.

A few north fans too. Probably anticipating a rare chance of a win

 

[Xxxx66]

I agree, let’s trade our 2m key forward who’s proven to be a gun but has struggled for continuity over the past season and a half. At 23 years old he really should be able to come back early from a knee injury and perform at his peak.

Let the man string 5+ games together and the entire AFL world will be lauding his ability.

That. But also get his shoulders right and get a good summer in the gym

 

[bergholt]

the biggest load of horseshit I've read in this thread

OK? Any particular reason?

 

[_Maximus_12]

For those saying King hasn’t improved, go back and watch the first two games of the season. Looked lively, worked up the ground well and got involved in the offence. Then he gets suspended. Comes back and could have kicked 5 against Richmond if not for the wind and poor conversion.
Then does his knee against GWS.

The same people who are scolding him, are the same people who’ll be riding his dick when he gets some continuity.

 

[Ricmel]

That. But also get his shoulders right and get a good summer in the gym

I reckon to an extent his body is what it is. Seems a Michael Tuck type, could do weights all week and not much would change. Ben seems slightly bigger in the body (?) so maybe he can put more muscle on. He could probably do with carrying another 4 or 5 kgs. Seems to get pushed around a bit in the body on body stuff.

 

[moirae42]

Looked pretty evident that Jack Hayes is the only bloke that knows how to lead.
63 inside fifties for 28 scoring shots. Four of those rushed behinds.
Our forward setup and performance was putrid.

Great to get the win, but we only managed four goals per quarter...in an complete domination.

We pretty much just did what was needed, which when we have been spluttering like we have, its good enough.

How good is the Wilson kid. Goodness me.

 

[g_TRAIN]

Is some idiot calling Owens slow again?

How has this BS become a thing. Seriously.

 

[phantom13]

For those saying King hasn’t improved, go back and watch the first two games of the season. Looked lively, worked up the ground well and got involved in the offence. Then he gets suspended. Comes back and could have kicked 5 against Richmond if not for the wind and poor conversion.
Then does his knee against GWS.

The same people who are scolding him, are the same people who’ll be riding his dick when he gets some continuity.

I think the issue with Max is when he’s off he looks truly awful. He’s lazy, he’s doesn’t lead, he sooks and drops his shoulders. He’s not the first mercurial key forward to look like a bratty teenager when it’s not going his way.

I clip him a lot and some of it’s probably unfair but for 2 quarters was 20-30 metres from him and his body language was absolutely atrocious.

Compare that to a Jack Hayes who has a tenth his talent but just wants the ball, leads, demands it and if we could get King to do some of that he’d be unstoppable.

That’s where the frustration comes in.

I’d only trade him for something outrageous and we’re not throwing him in the ruck but I do hope there’s some feedback about his lack of effort.

 

[St Kilda Death]

Was at the game yesterday and watched King very closely off the ball.

I’ve watched the replay this morning and understand the criticism of him - looked really bad on tv. And probably at the game if just watching the game as normal not off the ball.

The treatment of King off the ball was the worst I’ve seen in a game. At times, King looked ‘uncompetitive’ because he would go to start a lead and we would kick it in his direction, but as he went to take off he would be blatantly held around the waist and pulled back, ‘slingshotting’ Corr to the front of the contest and making King look awful. His jumper was constantly held and the arms around were ridiculous.

When North had time to clog, two opponents would do this to King. One would have eyes off the ball and block him front on as he went to take off, while the other held around the waist.

I don’t want to see bullshit frees paid resulting in goals when there’s barely a hold and hear the commentators say ‘arms around will always be a cue for a free kick’ again. They pluck them out but miss 1,000 other arms around.

The 4 umpires are meant to be able to spot the off the ball frees, the ones happening a kick away from play. What happened yesterday was cheating and it simply didn’t get stamped out.

Granted, King got very frustrated and will need to learn to compete through the treatment. But I promise you all having watched it closely, the treatment was disgraceful and didn’t give him the chance to run and jump and compete. Could’ve had 6 goals if officiated correctly.

Wouldn’t be surprised if we contact AFL House quietly during the week.

Well done Hayes for taking advantage of the extra space this all created.

Wilson was extraordinary. Looking forward to his career.

Wanted to point this out after sifting past some max King slander.

The game was umpired different either end.
Fast on the whistle if Doogs got too close to larkey,
But corr could have been pulled up for holding Max at least half a dozen times and no whistle.

 

[Otiman]

Max might be a good player but we kick less goals with him in the team.

We need to work out how to best utilise his skillset and not get in the way of our other forwards.

The sooner he goes from spearhead to 'contributing member of the forwardline', the better.

 

[_Maximus_12]

I think the issue with Max is when he’s off he looks truly awful. He’s lazy, he’s doesn’t lead, he sooks and drops his shoulders. He’s not the first mercurial key forward to look like a bratty teenager when it’s not going his way.

I clip him a lot and some of it’s probably unfair but for 2 quarters was 20-30 metres from him and his body language was absolutely atrocious.

Compare that to a Jack Hayes who has a tenth his talent but just wants the ball, leads, demands it and if we could get King to do some of that he’d be unstoppable.

That’s where the frustration comes in.

I’d only trade him for something outrageous and we’re not throwing him in the ruck but I do hope there’s some feedback about his lack of effort.

That comparison is with a 28 year old, who had 8 years of senior football experience in the SANFL prior to playing AFL.
Couple that with 2 full years of exposure to AFL education and that’s a player who should be doing all of the little things that we expect of king who is still 23.
Continuity is the biggest issue for Max.

 

[phantom13]

Wanted to point this out after sifting past some max King slander.

The game was umpired different either end.
Fast on the whistle if Doogs got too close to larkey,
But corr could have been pulled up for holding Max at least half a dozen times and no whistle.

Nah not really, all key forwards cop that just about every week, Doogs was scragging and scrapping Larkey all day too granted Larkey got a shockingly soft free but it wasn’t a scragging free either.

Corr pushed the envelope yesterday for sure but Max cops one block and gives up, the great key forwards go again and again. I saw Hayes cop blocks and just give a mighty shove to go again and again.

That comparison is with a 28 year old, who had 8 years of senior football experience in the SANFL prior to playing AFL.
Couple that with 2 full years of exposure to AFL education and that’s a player who should be doing all of the little things that we expect of king who is still 23.
Continuity is the biggest issue for Max.

Sigh. Sure mate. Sure.

 

[St Kilda Death]

We are going to be a better team with King, Hayes, Webster and Wood back in the starting 18.
Some rust to shake off yesterday.

Crouch, Dow, Clark will at least bring some competition to the midfield unit.

10 or so more games in Melbourne, the season ain’t done yet.

 

[saintbill]

I think the issue with Max is when he’s off he looks truly awful. He’s lazy, he’s doesn’t lead, he sooks and drops his shoulders. He’s not the first mercurial key forward to look like a bratty teenager when it’s not going his way.

I clip him a lot and some of it’s probably unfair but for 2 quarters was 20-30 metres from him and his body language was absolutely atrocious.

Compare that to a Jack Hayes who has a tenth his talent but just wants the ball, leads, demands it and if we could get King to do some of that he’d be unstoppable.

That’s where the frustration comes in.

I’d only trade him for something outrageous and we’re not throwing him in the ruck but I do hope there’s some feedback about his lack of effort.

This is a well balanced post. I understand the need for some to defend King, but it is not like last night was a one off aberration.

Some of us have been commenting on his unwillingness to get on his bike for 4+ years. His workrate and body language is visibly disappointing.

His best is good, but unlikely to ever be a consistent player as he just doesn't have enough tricks. Incredibly easy to defend a slim bloke that doesn't want to run.

If he could manage to ruck for 5 minutes a game it would make him immensely more useful and perhaps take some pressure off him.

If not, this is probably not far off his ceiling IMO. He might be good for 50 goal seasons, but he will do so with very limited impact outside goal kicking.

 

[botts]

Sunday footy show. Saints win by 40 but king got volkanod and then the spent 5 minutes praising wardlaw. Kane hates us. Any love for Darcy?

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Maxy won’t be going to Sandy or getting traded that’s just stupid mixed with a bit of frustration.
What he does need is someone to get into his head and some protective umpiring.

 

[phantom13]

Be interesting to see who the remaining best 22 guys are to come back and who goes out for them.

Dow, Henry… maybe Clark.

Pou probably should get a spell. I guess Hastie and Garcia?

 

[phantom13]

Maxy won’t be going to Sandy or getting traded that’s just stupid mixed with a bit of frustration.
What he does need is someone to get into his head and some protective umpiring.

Can only control one of those things.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

For the track watchers
Do we actually do any tackling practise at training or is that just something that an afl player is expected to know?
We’re shocking at it. You’d think they’d get Lenny to run through a few sessions.