Max King’s poor performance in St Kilda’s two-point loss to Port Adelaide has again put the spotlight on the Saints star’s future at the club.
King was restricted to ten disposals and was held goalless for the third time this season by Power defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, which proved crucial in the narrow loss which all but ends the Saints’ already slim finals hopes.
Debate has raged over whether the 23-year old, who kicked 52 goals in 2022 but has only 19 from 12 games so far in 2024, has been the victim of poor delivery from his teammates, or whether it is him who needs to improve.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s First Crack, David King was adamant it was the latter, saying King was made to ‘look like a child’ by Zerk-Thatcher and the Power backs, and suggesting both club and player should consider parting ways.
“Some of the efforts were sub-AFL standard, and there’s a deeper conversation to be had there,” AFL analyst King said.
“If I’m Ross Lyon, I’m starting to look at life without Max King.
“I’m wondering whether at the end of the year, you can say ‘you know what – it’s not working for either party, let’s just cut and run’.
“It’s brutal to say that now, and they’ll never agree to this or sign off on this – but gee whiz, I feel like we talk about him every week.
“It’s just a tested relationship now – he looked broken.”
Former Saint and co-panellist Leigh Montagna disagreed, however, saying the onus is on the Saints to maximise King’s undoubted talent.
“They’ve got to stick with him. They’ve just got to find a way to get the best out of him,” Montagna said.
“You can’t get rid of a player like that… that’s got huge upside, that’s got match-winning ability.
“He’s got it, they’ve just got to find a way to get it out of him.”
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Speaking on SEN Breakfast, Kane Cornes went even further than David King, saying it should be the Saints spearhead to seek a move elsewhere for his own sake.
“All the scrutiny is going to be on Max’s performance, and those are going to say, ‘the Saints should trade Max King’,” Cornes said.
“Max should make the decision himself that I want to be traded. He has been let down by a system that doesn’t suit his style of play.
“For him to be the main target since he stepped foot into that club with no help – they’ve done nothing to bolster him and support him in any way. So a skinny kid comes in and is the main man from day one – he’s not that.
“If you put Max King into the Sydney forward line, he plays the Logan McDonald role, and he plays it more successfully than Logan McDonald, and he’s set up for success. At the Saints, he’s not.
“With that ball movement, with the no help around him, with all the numbers, with the way that the Saints move the footy, you’re never going to get the best out of Max.
“If he went to the club and said, ‘I need a fresh start, I need a circuit-breaker’, what that would look like right now? Of course they would [get something for him].
“I’m worried about Max King… what is best for his football is not to be at the Saints.
“I think they I think they’ve let him down. It’s game style, development, the fact that they’ve been so reliant on him, they’ve done nothing to support him.”
King is contracted to the Saints until the end of 2026.
Simpson whacks Eagles over Hawks horror, spares star
West Coast coach Adam Simpson has conceded his team simply weren’t tough enough in Sunday’s 61-point loss to Hawthorn, saying only Elliot Yeo could be excused for the horror display.
The Eagles were smashed 38-19 at the clearances, 14-4 at centre clearances, 60-33 in the inside 50s and 426-278 in overall possessions in the 14.10 (94) to 4.9 (33) defeat.
It marked West Coast’s second-worst performance of the season, just behind the 99-point defeat to Adelaide.
The Eagles have also endured poor displays in losses to the Western Bulldogs (76 points), Collingwood (66 points), GWS (65 points) and Port Adelaide (50 points).
But their home loss to Hawthorn – in front of 49,454 fans – was all the more disappointing considering West Coast fielded their best team since 2021.
The return of Tim Kelly and Harley Reid from injury meant West Coast boasted a powerful midfield contingent of Kelly, Reid, Yeo and Reuben Ginbey, as well as first-choice ruckman Matt Flynn.
Yeo, playing six days following the death of his father, was understandably below his bullocking best with just 13 possessions and two clearances in his quietest display of the year.
Kelly had just 15 disposals and three clearances, and Ginbey only 10 disposals and one clearance.
Reid’s stats looked solid at 21 disposals and four clearances, but he lacked his usual bravado and polish.
When asked whether his team weren’t as tough as Hawthorn, Simpson replied: “Yeah, absolutely, just look at the numbers.
“I think we’re owning this game. There’s no excuses, outside of Elliot.
Liam Duggan and Elliot Yeo celebrate after beating Fremantle earlier this year. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
“We meet (on Monday), we’ll go through the normal process. We won’t treat it like a catastrophe.
“But we’ve got to dig a bit deeper about the attitude and the mindset of the players as much as what we’re trying to chase as well.
“You can point the finger at a lot of players today, but I’d rather you just point it as a collective and it starts with me and finishes with the players.”
Adding to West Coast’s woes are injury concerns to Flynn (ankle) and Jeremy McGovern (thumb).
Simpson expects Flynn to miss at least several weeks, while the Eagles might need to sent McGovern in for scans to determine if there is any serious damage.
McGovern was his team’s best on Sunday with nine marks and 20 disposals, as well as a goal.
“He’s tough isn’t he? He gives his all,” Simpson said of McGovern.
“He’s probably in All-Australian form to be honest with what he’s got to deal with sometimes.
“He had it (his thumb) strapped up but he didn’t come back on. I don’t know how that’s going to go.”
West Coast (3-12) will be back in action on Sunday when they take on Melbourne at the MCG.
(AAP)
Sore Dusty in doubt for Fremantle trip
Richmond coach Adem Yze’s hand could be forced as he manages Dustin Martin through the second half of the season, after the superstar suffered back spasms during the 61-point loss to Carlton.
Martin played a role in the Tigers’ second-quarter fightback at the MCG on Sunday but suffered the fresh injury concern early in the third term and had to be substituted out of the game.
The 33-year-old finished with just seven disposals in the 20.11 (131) to 10.10 (70) defeat – the lowest tally of his 301-game career.
“He just seized up,” Yze said.
“He tried to go back out there for one more rotation and he was just battling, so it was just pointless.
“I’m not sure if he’s ever been subbed before but against a quality team like Carlton you need 18 fit guys out there.
“So for him to put his hand up and say his back’s a bit too sore is a credit to him.”
Yze had already flagged resting Martin on return from the mid-season bye, with Richmond wary of short breaks leading into interstate clashes with Fremantle and Port Adelaide over the next three weeks.
Martin will be given a day off before returning to Punt Road on Tuesday for further assessment ahead of the Dockers clash at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.
“Whether this is a reason why he needs to miss because he’s got a tight back now – our hand might be dealt anyway,” Yze said.
“If he bounces out of the game OK, there’s no reason why he can’t play against Freo.
“We’ve just got to have those discussions and think about it more than anything.”
Martin battled calf problems earlier in the season and Yze said the latest setback was a “random” one.
“He probably copped a knee out there, which he wouldn’t have known,” Yze said.
“He’s a combative player and he actually helped us at centre bounce in the second quarter, so we did miss him in the second half when he went out of the game.
“Hopefully he’s OK.”
Richmond have used 41 players this season – more than any other club – amid a raft of injuries, including many to key players.
Premiership midfielder Dion Prestia (calf) could return against Fremantle, but Tom Lynch (hamstring) is unlikely.
Yze was full of praise for mid-season draftee Jacob Blight, who made his debut against Carlton and helped limit star forward Harry McKay’s influence.
“Blighty held up his own as one of the best in the competition and he will be better for it,” Yze said.
“He did well, the young kid.”
(AAP)