Prized No.4 draft pick Max King locked in at St Kilda until end of 2022
St Kilda’s prized No.4 draft pick Max King has barely shown his new club what he can produce given he’s still on the comeback trail from a knee reconstruction but that hasn’t stopped the Saints signing him to a contract extension.
St Kilda
Don't miss out on the headlines from St Kilda. Followed categories will be added to My News.
St Kilda has awarded Max King a contract extension as the No.4 draft pick closes in on a return early in the VFL season.
The Herald Sun can reveal King is locked in at Moorabbin until 2022 and will join full non-contact training next week, pending an agility test on Tuesday.
“If that (test) goes as planned then I’ll get the all clear,” King told the Herald Sun on Wednesday.
AFL TIPS: SEE WHO THE EXPERTS ARE TIPPING IN ROUND 1
MENTAL HEALTH: JACK STEVEN SET TO PLAY ROUND 1
SUPERCOACH: CAPTAINS REVEAL THEIR SUPERCOACH PICKS
“Get a few weeks of that under my belt and then start full (contact) to get ready for games.
“If it keeps progressing really well then I won’t miss heaps of footy this year.”
The 204cm spearhead — who received Nick Riewoldt’s No.12 jumper — has not played since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last April.
Twin brother Ben King is likely to re-sign at Gold Coast once his primary aim of playing senior football is achieved.
He is not expected to debut against the Saints on Sunday.
The boys are managed by Robbie D’Orazio of Connors Sports, who has a history of re-signing Suns draftees for a further two years.
“We text pretty much every day and then occasionally have a bit of a phone call,” King said.
“He’s enjoying life up there so it’s good to see him happy.”
Ben moved in with Suns chief executive Mark Evans, although is temporarily with a teammate while Evans’ floorboards are renovated.
NEW NUMBER: KING INHERITS RIEWOLDT’S NO.12 GUERNSEY
JARRYN GEARY: ROBERTON ‘NEARLY BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE’
Max has stayed in Hampton with parents Marni and Brook King and injured Saints draftee Jack Bytel has moved in.
“(Bytel’s) in the spare room. Mum wasn’t quite ready to give up Ben’s room,” King said.
King has welcomed the increase of Sherrins as he steps up his rehabilitation.
“I’m doing a lot more footy-related stuff — a lot of leading, a lot of marking and I’m starting to feel like a footballer again rather than just an athlete,” he said.
“Hopefully this gives me a lot of good habits in terms of preparation, so hopefully I can look back on it as a bit of a positive.”
Tuesday’s agility test involves lateral movement, jumping and landing drills.
The lifelong Saints fan will sign his new contact in list manager James Gallagher’s office soon.
The swift deal shows the Saints are thrilled with his medical progress and attitude.
West Coast superstar Nic Naitanui met King last year to discuss overcoming a knee reconstruction while new Saints assistant Brett Ratten and Brendan Lade have been “really good” since he was drafted.
King — nicknamed ‘Winx’ because he powers around the track — is desperate to debut this year.
“If I get my body right and fitness up I can definitely impact at AFL level, that’s the goal,” he said.
“Watching all the guys you got drafted with play (Round 1) helps me believe I’m up to it, but at the same time it’s pretty tough watching then run out when I can’t.”
King’s Round 1 performance in last year’s TAC Cup wasn’t beaten.
He had 19 disposals, nine marks (six contested) and booted eight goals from 15 shots.
A Brownlow in England: Bizarre tale of medals headed to auction
A random email from the UK that was initially ignored has led to a rare auction that could let someone into footy’s most prestigious and exclusive club.
Injury carnage means Saints fans will have to be patient yet again
Saints fans would be pulling out their hair after Mattaes Phillipou’s injury, that’s before they took a look at their fixture again. Josh Barnes writes, it could be another year of waiting.