Rowell injury may be a blessing for rising Saint King

Matthew Rowell’s dislocated shoulder has opened the door for St Kilda spearhead Max King to win the Rising Star award.

Max King has been the Saints’ marking target in the forward line this season Picture: Michael Klein

Matthew Rowell’s dislocated shoulder has opened the door for St Kilda spearhead Max King to follow in Nick Riewoldt’s footsteps and win the Rising Star wearing the club’s No 12 jumper.

The Saints have not produced a Rising Star since Riewoldt in 2002, when the blond bombshell and No 1 draft pick (2000) outpolled the “super draft” headliners Chris Judd and Luke Hodge.

King and Riewoldt both had their first AFL seasons ruined by injuries to their right knee but Riewoldt played every game in his second year and polled Brownlow Medal votes five times.

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew tipped Rowell would have surgery, which will probably end his season after just five games.

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King is yet to be officially nominated but the TAB will crunch him into a $3.50 favourite when the market reopens if Rowell’s season is over.

Greater Western Sydney onballer Tom Green, Fremantle wingman Hayden Young and Suns midfielder Noah Anderson will also threaten, while Gold Coast playmaker Izak Rankine is set to make his debut on Saturday.

But King’s incredible athleticism as a 202cm marking forward who is agile at ground level makes him the standout prospect.

The Saints have targeted King inside 50m more than any other player this year (23 times) and he has taken six marks near the goals.

Twin brother Ben King (Gold Coast) is ineligible due to playing more than 10 games last season.

Hawthorn champion Dermott Brereton worked with Max King at Moorabbin last year and said he has never seen a footballer mark the ball at such a high point.

With outstretched arms and an impressive leap it is estimated that King can mark the ball about 320cm above the ground, making life a nightmare for defenders.

King, who turned 19 on Tuesday, booted two goals against former No 1 pick and early All-Australian contender Jacob Weitering (Carlton) last week.

The All-Australian selectors and AFL talent boss Kevin Sheehan will vote 5-4-3-2-1 on the NAB Rising Star at the end of the home-and-away season.

They are instructed to vote subjectively, based on output rather than potential.

Rowell is every chance to have collected the maximum nine Brownlow votes from rounds 2-4 as the powerful midfielder kicked six goals and led the Suns to three-straight victories.

There is no criterion stipulating a minimum number of games in the Rising Star and the Rowell debate is uncharted territory where an odds-on favourite has gone down so early in the season.

Herald Sun