St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt criticises Max King’s lack of forward craft as form slumps

The Saints are struggling to both score and win, and a former champion says their issues start with a lack of forward cohesion, starting with the form of their spearhead, Max King.

LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA – MAY 11: Max King of the Saints celebrates a goal during the 2024 AFL Round 09 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the St Kilda Saints at UTAS Stadium on May 11, 2024 in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt has criticised Max King’s lack of forward craft amid claims he looks like a “sad footballer”.

King’s production has spiralled since he suffered a knee injury in Round 6 with the Saints champion averaging 7.5 touches and 1.5 goals a game over his past two outings.

It has coincided with a move to a deeper forward position after starting the season in better form moving higher up the ground.

While the shift to the goal square could be in part to help lessen the pressure on his knee after the GWS setback, he has struggled to have an impact recently in his fifth season.

King, 23, has polled only three AFL Coaches Association votes in the Round 2 win over Collingwood, but is eager to lift to help snap the Saints’ form slump against Fremantle at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

King and the Saints are failing to fire. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

The Saints have scored more than 80 points only twice this season including over last-placed North Melbourne a fortnight ago.

Riewoldt, who is one of the Saints’ greatest players after a glittering 336-match career, said the pressure on the club was “absolutely justified” and was adamant King had “another really disappointing performance”.

Riewoldt said King had to work on multiple ways to hit the scoreboard, even when the delivery wasn’t perfect.

“They have had some close losses yes, but so far it has been a really disappointing season and for me it is the lack of cohesion up forward that I think is absolutely killing them,” Riewoldt said on Footy Talk.

“I’m concerned about his (King’s) lack of (forward) craft and ability to find a way when players are either taking his run or sealing him in to get on the end of it.

“You do rely at times on good ball movement but I guess there are also times when you have just got to find a way to get in a position and make it easy for the kicker.”

The Saints took King at pick four ahead of Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee at pick five and Gold Coast’s Ben King at pick six in the 2018 national draft.

When the Suns picked Ben King, the Saints posted on social media “Ben, if you ever want to come home” with a wink emoji and a picture of the brothers together.

Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes said King’s body language was a concern this season.

“He’s a frustrating player,” Cornes said on SEN.

“He’s got to come out of himself. He’s got to show more energy. He looks sad.

“He plays football sad. He’s got his shoulders slumped. He never expresses himself.

“I’d love to see him show a bit more and that will in turn lift his teammates around him and his own performance.”

Originally published as St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt criticises Max King’s lack of forward craft as form slumps