Ben King AFL: Fox Footy’s Alastair Lynch says Suns should consider throwing key forward down back

Fox Footy’s Alastair Lynch suggests the Suns take a page out of the Brisbane Lions’ book to help star forward Ben King return to form.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - JULY 23: Ben King of the Suns attempts to take a mark during the round 19 AFL match between Greater Western Sydney Giants and Gold Coast Suns at Manuka Oval, on July 23, 2023, in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Fox Footy’s Alastair Lynch believes Gold Coast should consider moving Ben King further up the ground to help the star forward play himself out of a worrying form slump.

King has gone goalless in his past four matches, and managed just four disposals and one mark in Sunday’s 40-point loss to GWS.

The 23-year-old kicked at least a goal in 14 straight games dating back to the start of the season but has not hit the scoreboard since the win over Hawthorn in Round 15.

With a looming match-up against in-form Brisbane key defender Jack Payne this weekend, Lynch hypothesised a switch to the wing or even centre half-back could help restore some of King’s confidence.

Ben King has not kicked a goal since Round 15. Photo by Phil Hillyard

“There’s no hiding away from it. The success of the club, a lot of that is centred around a key forward to build a team around – Ben King is critical for the Suns and I think everyone sees that, so there is pressure on,” Lynch told this masthead.

“The coach would be thinking, ‘What is the best way we can actually get him up and going?’

“It’s an ongoing conversation about how do we actually get him back to the form we saw for the most part of the year, which was taking strong marks and being a real strong presence in the forward-50.

“It might even be a consideration for this week … do you move him up the ground? Or do you instruct him to get up the ground?

“It might be for a half a game going to centre half-back where the ball isn’t being sat on your head and you can have a good game by spoiling it away and getting some uncontested ball on the way out.”

The three-time Brisbane premiership player suggested the Suns should follow the blueprint the Lions and Chris Fagan laid out this season to get Joe Daniher and Eric Hipwood back into form.

“Joe Daniher is a classic case. He was battling a little bit at the start of the year and then the opportunity came to put him as the second ruck so he could get up the ground,” Lynch said.

“Now, I would be reluctant to put Ben into the ruck because of his knee (injury) history, but Joe went into the ruck and was able to get some uncontested ball around the ground and that helped his confidence so that he could go forward and win the contested ball.

Brisbane helped turn Joe Daniher’s form around by playing him in the ruck. Picture: Getty Images

“That example of Joe Daniher I’m sure is something the Suns would be looking at as well. It might just be for a few minutes during a game – not ruck, but maybe centre half-back or a wing or something like that.”

If the Suns aren’t willing to throw their star forward behind the ball, Lynch said the minimum requirement for King this weekend should be to make an impact at every contest he attends.

Brisbane kept Geelong to a solitary goal until midway through the third quarter at the weekend and the Suns cannot afford to let Harris Andrews dictate the play as he did against the Cats.

“If he’s playing on Jack Payne this week and Harris Andrews is just floating across the front and taking intercept marks all the time, that is the number one thing the Suns’ coaches box doesn’t want to see,” Lynch said.

“Do everything you can to mark the ball, but if Andrews is coming across you can’t get out-marked. You have to compete and get the ball to ground.

“Eric Hipwood is the example. He started really competing hard in the air and not so much (trying to) get goals and even marks, but he was stopping the opposition from out-marking him.

“When Brisbane played GWS early in the season, his stats wouldn’t have been great but he competed really well and it stood out. That helped him build his confidence and then in turn, the goals and marks came on the back of it.

“There’s no questioning Ben’s talent and athleticism. If the first one sticks that can do an enormous amount for his confidence. The danger is Ben’s thinking of goals, but he just has to compete in the air.”