Max still wants the next kick.

[saynta]

From the heraldsun.com.au



'St Kilda post-season review: Max King to analyse his goal-kicking routine

Max King hasn’t engaged in the commentary around his now infamous 0.5 performance against Brisbane but that hasn’t stopped him trying to fix his goal kicking yips.
Sam Landsberger

The goalkicking question that has been on everybody’s lips hasn’t entered Max King’s head.

Will Matthew Lloyd, King’s former school coach, be enlisted to straighten up the budding star’s set-shots?

“To be honest, I haven’t thought about it,” King told News Corp.

“I’m pretty focused on Sydney this week and just getting through that game.

“It’s probably something for the off-season to sit down with the club and work out a way forward.”

It’s been a tough week for the Saints and for their great white hope.

Last week’s 0.5 against Brisbane Lions thrusted King’s routine – and St Kilda’s treatment of him – into the spotlight.

“It was more just disappointment that I’ve obviously let the team down a little bit,” King said of his post-match emotions.

“It probably wasn't the only reason we lost, but definitely contributed to not getting over the line.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

The World According to Rowan Dean. Stream Tues-Thurs 9pm AEST on Sky News.

“The hardest thing for me is the team perspective and also my own expectations.”

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
It’s been a tough week for Max King following his 0 goals 5 behinds match against Brisbane. Picture: Mark Stewart
It’s been a tough week for Max King following his 0 goals 5 behinds match against Brisbane. Picture: Mark Stewart

Some of the feedback from passionate supporters was unsavoury. Thankfully, King blocked it out.

“I’m pretty much off social media, so to be honest didn’t see any of it,” he said.

But when King and the Saints analysed where it went wrong a lot of the feedback focussed on above the shoulders.

“I sat down with a few people at the club and went through some of the kicks,” he said.

“I feel like there’s a bit of a mental aspect to it as well, but it’s just going back to my routine and nailing every kick and having confidence in the work I’ve done and the routine.”

As the yips snowballed, was that last kick always lingering in his head?

“That’s something you have to work on,” King said.

“I’ll always want another chance and still want the next kick.

“There definitely is a mental aspect when you miss a few in a row, but I feel like I’m getting better at trying to take each shot as they come and sticking to the routine.”

Teammate Jack Higgins spoke early this year about breathing exercises taught by club psych and former Lions and Roos player Dr Ben Robbins.

“We definitely do a lot of meditation and things like that and work on some triggers to bring us back to present, which is pretty helpful with goalkicking,” King said.

“It changes for each individual, whether it’s a deep breath at the top of your run or something like that.”

Every goalkicker has their own set-shot routine.

Western Bulldog Aaron Naughton developed his in 2019 – five walking steps and then five running steps.

Lloyd wants King to kick with more momentum, adamant his slow walk leaves him leaning back and losing control.

King wouldn’t divulge his routine – “it’s top secret” – but it’s certainly looked capable before.

Remember King’s 6.0 against the Crows at Adelaide Oval this year? Or the 4.1 he booted after halftime in the west against Fremantle?

Or last year’s 6.1 against West Coast in Perth?

Those wins foreshadowed the goliath everyone still expects King to become.

The 202cm full-forward with long arms is almost impossible to defend when he launches and leaps at the Sherrin.

Bodywork is his best disarmer and Steven May, as well as Melbourne’s collective backline, are King’s toughest obstacles.

“A lot of the defenders that I’m playing on are stronger than me so for now, when I’m not as strong as then, how I can negotiate that and still get run and jumps at the ball and use my body a bit more,” King said.

“It’s probably each week that you get more comfortable and you’re put in different situations and then for the next week you know you can handle those situations.”
Max King with giant dragon egg at Federation Square ahead of House of Dragons launch Picture: Aaron Walker
Max King with giant dragon egg at Federation Square ahead of House of Dragons launch Picture: Aaron Walker

King – a Games of Throne fan, who was speaking ahead of House of the Dragon release – likes the gore of the TV drama.

In AFL terms he is still a baby as a 22-year-old key forward. Now he wants to build his body up like some of those fictional beasts.

He’s at around 95kg and, slowly, filling out while twin brother Ben has also been bulking up during a year of knee rehabilitation.

“It takes a while and a lot of work to put on weight,” King said."

[saynta]

According to Max he is almost 2cm taller than his brother at 203.8 cm.

[B.M]

Hmm

I was laughed at when I suggested King needs to find the gym and build an AFL body

He’s a power forward with a concave chest and spaghetti arms FFS!!!

[CQ SAINT]

Hmm

I was laughed at when I suggested King needs to find the gym and build an AFL body

He’s a power forward with a concave chest and spaghetti arms FFS!!!

Most of us fools thought he was on a vegan diet and doing skipping for weight training. He needed a gym at 204 and 83kg! Who would have guessed? Thanks BM. Incredibly, he got over 100 shots on goal this year.

[B.M]

Then why was I copping it when I said he should figure out where the Gym was and build his body up?!

He gets absolutely rag dolled in body contests.

He does get shots on goal, despite being comparatively weak, imagine if he had some strength and power!!!

BTW
He is not 204

Nor was he 83

But anyway

[saynta]

Then why was I copping it when I said he should figure out where the Gym was and build his body up?!

He gets absolutely rag dolled in body contests.

He does get shots on goal, despite being comparatively weak, imagine if he had some strength and power!!!

BTW
He is not 204

Nor was he 83

But anyway

He himself said 203. something. I forget the decimal point but it was more than .5.

So not 204cm but not 202cm either

[saintsRrising]

Hmm

I was laughed at when I suggested King needs to find the gym and build an AFL body

He’s a power forward with a concave chest and spaghetti arms FFS!!!

And how many young AFL players exactly would not hit the gym?

[CQ SAINT]

Then why was I copping it when I said he should figure out where the Gym was and build his body up?!

He gets absolutely rag dolled in body contests.

He does get shots on goal, despite being comparatively weak, imagine if he had some strength and power!!!

BTW
He is not 204

Nor was he 83

But anyway

203.8 and 86 kilo. That 2 ml and 3 kilo make a huge difference. He finished his first year at 87 kilo. 1 kilo heavier than when he was drafted. Excessive weight gain, during an ACL recovery, is not ideal.
He lost 18 months of development at 18 and is a strong, tall, skinny kid. He will be a monster at 25 and will probably maintain that for a decade.

But you be the 'I told you so' guy, and we'll keep laughing at you.

But anyway

[skeptic]

Hmm

I was laughed at when I suggested King needs to find the gym and build an AFL body

He’s a power forward with a concave chest and spaghetti arms FFS!!!

Could you show a post or link a thread of you bring laughed at for this.

I find that very hard to believe.

I doubt even King’s biggest fans wouldn’t dispute that he’s still a bit skinny.

[Crossy66]

Feel like we haven't played to his strengths. He is a real handful for and defender one on one in an open fwd line where he can use his pace and skills below his knees on the occasions he doesn't mark it. Slow ball movement means he is forced to wrestle 1 v 3+ and that's not his go atm

[saintsRrising]

Hmm

I was laughed at when I suggested King needs to find the gym and build an AFL body

He’s a power forward with a concave chest and spaghetti arms FFS!!!

Could you show a post or link a thread of you bring laughed at for this.

I find that very hard to believe.

I doubt even King’s biggest fans wouldn’t dispute that he’s still a bit skinny.

Remember when Banger used to go and do extra running as he felt that he needed to work harder. Result was a string of injuries as he was overworking his body till he changed to just doing what the club fitness guy wanted him to do.


Players today are all assessed by the fitness manager and train accordingly. King will not do more weight training than what Nick Walsh our Head of Performance and Conditioning wants him to do.


Tall skinny guys simply take longer to build their bodies. He will get stronger each year for a while.

Part of the article that Saynta posted stated:

In AFL terms he is still a baby as a 22-year-old key forward. Now he wants to build his body up like some of those fictional beasts.

He’s at around 95kg and, slowly, filling out while twin brother Ben has also been bulking up during a year of knee rehabilitation.

“It takes a while and a lot of work to put on weight,” King said."

[B.M]

Absolutely mocked

By the usual knobs

I compared Kings upper body to that of Aaron Naughton who is a power forward - one year older.

Naughton had an AFL body at 20 in his third season

This will be Kings 5th preseason - in the gym - as a full time athlete. His lack of strength is still apparent in body contests!

He is like a giant stick insect

[Sainternist]

Hmm

I was laughed at when I suggested King needs to find the gym and build an AFL body

He’s a power forward with a concave chest and spaghetti arms FFS!!!

Most of us fools thought he was on a vegan diet and doing skipping for weight training. He needed a gym at 204 and 83kg! Who would have guessed? Thanks BM. Incredibly, he got over 100 shots on goal this year.

Nothing wrong with a vegan diet. Ben Brown is one AFL player who is vegan and he’s a beast!

[saintsRrising]

Absolutely mocked

By the usual knobs

I compared Kings upper body to that of Aaron Naughton who is a power forward - one year older.

Naughton had an AFL body at 20 in his third season

This will be Kings 5th preseason - in the gym - as a full time athlete. His lack of strength is still apparent in body contests!

He is like a giant stick insect

Yes he is much taller and skinner than Naughton was at the same age. Perhaps have a look at at say how the skinny Peter Wright has filled out too?
Different people have different physiques. Check out the young Max Gawn too....the skinny Gawn built over time.

Max King. 2018 86kg. 2022 94kg 8 kg gain. (I believe he is over 97 kg now)
Naughton 2017 85 kg 2022 93kg 8 kg gain, but with an extra year.


One can only laugh that you somehow believe that Max King is not doing the gym work that our fitness staff want him to do.

[B.M]

Gawn is still pretty lean - plays a different position- he is a running player.

Don’t read much into listed weights - at all

Naughton has been a beast since he was 20! Just got to have a look at him and watch his explosive power. He is a contested marking animal.

King also can take a contested pluck, when he gets a run and jump at it, and uses his height- imagine if he also had body strength?!

[skeptic]

Absolutely mocked

By the usual knobs

I compared Kings upper body to that of Aaron Naughton who is a power forward - one year older.

Naughton had an AFL body at 20 in his third season

This will be Kings 5th preseason - in the gym - as a full time athlete. His lack of strength is still apparent in body contests!

He is like a giant stick insect

You haven’t demonstrated a post of you being “absolutely mocked”.

Are you sure that someone didn’t simply disagree with some aspect of your post as has happened in this thread? Maybe they debated one or two aspects with you!

Noting the amount of times you post about how you had this true’ism and that true’ism and were mercilessly ridiculed for being ahead of your time…
Is there maybe just a slight possibility that you tend to take things a touch personally sometimes?

I just find it hard to believe that you were mercilessly ridiculed for what seems like a relatively inoffensive suggestion

[Vortex]

Absolutely mocked

By the usual knobs

I compared Kings upper body to that of Aaron Naughton who is a power forward - one year older.

Naughton had an AFL body at 20 in his third season

This will be Kings 5th preseason - in the gym - as a full time athlete. His lack of strength is still apparent in body contests!

He is like a giant stick insect

You haven’t demonstrated a post of you being “absolutely mocked”.

Are you sure that someone didn’t simply disagree with some aspect of your post as has happened in this thread? Maybe they debated one or two aspects with you!

Noting the amount of times you post about how you had this true’ism and that true’ism and were mercilessly ridiculed for being ahead of your time…
Is there maybe just a slight possibility that you tend to take things a touch personally sometimes?

I just find it hard to believe that you were mercilessly ridiculed for what seems like a relatively inoffensive suggestion

Why are you being a trouble maker skeptic, farg me it's not as though we don't have to suffer your true'isms albeit with the application of a different personality type.

For what it's worth I remember BM being mocked about the issue, just because you didn't see it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

[skeptic]

Absolutely mocked

By the usual knobs

I compared Kings upper body to that of Aaron Naughton who is a power forward - one year older.

Naughton had an AFL body at 20 in his third season

This will be Kings 5th preseason - in the gym - as a full time athlete. His lack of strength is still apparent in body contests!

He is like a giant stick insect

You haven’t demonstrated a post of you being “absolutely mocked”.

Are you sure that someone didn’t simply disagree with some aspect of your post as has happened in this thread? Maybe they debated one or two aspects with you!

Noting the amount of times you post about how you had this true’ism and that true’ism and were mercilessly ridiculed for being ahead of your time…
Is there maybe just a slight possibility that you tend to take things a touch personally sometimes?

I just find it hard to believe that you were mercilessly ridiculed for what seems like a relatively inoffensive suggestion

Why are you being a trouble maker skeptic, farg me it's not as though we don't have to suffer your true'isms albeit with the application of a different personality type.

For what it's worth I remember BM being mocked about the issue, just because you didn't see it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

I didn’t mean to cause any trouble and will yield the point

Sorry for having to put up with me but I just didn’t get it