How Max King should play

[skeptic]

Was thinking about this last night and thank fully, following today's events, he'll continue to get to develop in a week or two.

We've been blessed with a number of great forwards over the years including a bunch in the modern game of the 21st century. Of those guys, whose style should he really look to emulate considering his qualities?

It's an important question because (and this is my own opinion) we've seen more recently in guys like Bruce and Paddy that if you don't get the style right... e.g. the training, approach etc it can really work against you.
Both of those guys should pbly have aimed to be a bit more like Nick Riewoldt whereas Paddy seemed more intent of trying to use his size to muscle opponents and, whose better work has been on the lead has tried to do too much pack marking.

The first player that came to mind is Justin Koschitzke. Big guy, strong mark, reasonably smart player in terms of reading the game and knowing where to run... tall enough to ruck. Kosi made his career as a forward from smashing into the packs and forcing the ball down if he couldn't take the contested mark... and he took a few of them.
The obvious problem however is that Max is pbly too fragile for that type of approach. Granted Kosi was hurt a lot over the first 6-7 years of his career but had a reasonable patch durability in the Lyon years... regardless, not a good fit IMO.

Then you have the player already mentioned: Nick Riewoldt. Incredible mark overhead and in front... tended to use his endurance to be able to burn off opponents and get to the right position. Quite flexible and agile. Not as strong a pack mark but still very good... especially in smaller packs (3-4 guys). The problem here however was that Roo had a career of managing a bad knee (that came on at some point) and Kingy already has one. Don't know Kingy well enough to say is has the same acceleration that Nick did but he's unlikely to have the same aerobic capacity being that bit bigger and pbly more muscle bound. Suffice it to say that a career of running defenders of their feet is pbly not on the cards for him...

Then you look at a guy like Membrey... incredible leap with a real knack for timing it to get the ball at the highest point in a position most inaccessible for the defender. It's an obvious miss as it's doubtful that Max will have the power in his legs.


The guy IMO is Fraser Gehrig. Gehrig was BIG, agile and fast and very intuitive in terms of where to lead. The thing however what that he actually really wasn't much of a contested pack mark type of player. His approach instead focused on getting his opponent one out (or two out) and using his size and strength to maneuver himself into prime position. Tended to push or hold the defenders off and grab the ball. On the lead is was generally to strong if the ball was kicked to his advantage. Defenders often punched the ball or attempted to spoil but he was too strong.
Gehrig is who King should play like. He's a big unit that could get bigger and could potentially be a monster if he puts on muscle. He should rely on his smarts to get into the right positions and his strength to outmaneuver opponents... and if he's fortunate enough to have some speed or a decent midfield deliver, he'll have the advantage of marking the ball that's laced out to his strong spots (in terms of marking). This is especially pertinent because it also would assist in reducing the chances of him re-injuring his leg from bashing into packs or trying to leap over them... don't remember the G-Train having many of those types of injuries... but it probably means that he wouldn't/shouldn't be overly useflul when the ball is on the ground (which he was surprisingly good at as a junior).
Other pertinent thing however was that Fraser took time to become the G-Train... good couple of years to bulk up.

IMO don't rush this kid now in the desperate attempt to make the future look more exciting. He needs a strong base and he needs to bulk up.

[saintsRrising]

Sorry Max cannot play like the GTrain. Completely different players.

GTrain was the strongest player at the club when he played FF. He was a brute.

King will need to use his height, reach and mobility.

He will need to lead or come floating in over the top for a pack mark.

Kosi was weak at body work and King like Kosi will need to avoid one on one wrestles.

King is more like Salmon or Daniher but is more mobile and agile. Like the two of them he needs to use his height and reach.

[saintsRrising]

And yes best thing we can do for King at present is let him develop at Sandi.

Near seasons end give him a brace of games to see what it is like to play on an AFL key defender.

[BarryGrogan]

Nathan Brown mauled Ben King yesterday.

With the way our midfield brings the ball in to F50, Max will be lucky to touch the ball in our team.


I'd leave him at Sandy until Cho leaves. We know how he wrecks forwards careers due to his philosophy on how thry should be used. It'd be a travesty to let him do it to another one.

[CQ SAINT]

Well.thought out but forget those other lads. Get him.to.watch videos of Paul Salmon and get RoMa to watch them with him.

[skeptic]

Paul Salmon!!!

There's a blast from the past

[WellardSaint]

I agree with the person who compared him to Salmon and Daniher (Joe)
He's thin and lanky.
He needs to play to his strengths and minimise his weaknesses, just like any other player.
Find out what works for him and him alone.
His height and reach will be the keys, so our F50 entries need to go to his advantage.
Don't hold your breath.

[saintspremiers]

I just missed seeing Winx today, but a fan at the game said he is an absolute freak. He kicked a goal from 55m easily. His reach is supposedly incredible and this fan was saying he’s up there in the Plugger category.

Give him the rest of the year at Sandy, he bulls up a bit over the preseason and god help other teams trying to stop our freak in the AFL next year.

[Toy Saint]

Perhaps Stewart Loewe

[Bernard Shakey]

Max King will rewrite the book on how to play forward.
In half a quarter he dominated the game, with Sandy kicking 5 goals.
After he came off they kicked one goal in the next two and a half quarters!

[Ghost Like]

I think he should aim to be a better, more rounded version of Ben Brown to begin with. If he ends up being just the same then we've still got a beauty.

By more rounded l mean presenting more up on a wing to keep his defender running and guessing as well as giving our defenders an option out.

[BarryGrogan]

Max King will rewrite the book on how to play forward.
In half a quarter he dominated the game, with Sandy kicking 5 goals.
After he came off they kicked one goal in the next two and a half quarters!

He had one kick didn't he?

[Bernard Shakey]

Max King will rewrite the book on how to play forward.
In half a quarter he dominated the game, with Sandy kicking 5 goals.
After he came off they kicked one goal in the next two and a half quarters!

He had one kick didn't he?

A goal from outside 50 post high. It was more the way he contested and gave the forward line structure!

[skeptic]

He has been super impressive since he started

Very few 18-19yo walk into Sandy and look comfortable at that level immediately.

Been a while since we had a prospect that walked in and we didn't say 'geeeez he's a long way off'

[Scollop]

Very benefecial to watch videos and learn from the likes of Salmon, Kosi, Gherig, Stewy Lowe and Joe Daniher. Max will develop and probably change styles as his body grows as skeptic said, but the exciting thing (if he gets a good run injury free) will be the emergence of a style of his own.

I'm with Bernard Shakey. As he gains experience; Max King will ultimateley play like Max King

[skeptic]

Very benefecial to watch videos and learn from the likes of Salmon, Kosi, Gherig, Stewy Lowe and Joe Daniher. Max will develop and probably change styles as his body grows as skeptic said, but the exciting thing (if he gets a good run injury free) will be the emergence of a style of his own.

I'm with Bernard Shakey. As he gains experience; Max King will ultimateley play like Max King

Absolutely. The op was never a strictly lock it in Eddie post.

I’d just hate to see us get wishy washy on what we do with him.

Remember 2006’ish when Goddard bulked up massively and we tried to play him as a KPP

Or Arryn Siposs (not a like for like comparison)... started as a FP, then we played him as a HBF, then as a HFF in the seniors and a HBF at Sandy.

They need to CORRECTLY identify what type of player they want him to be and develop his program to make it happen

[Impatient Sainter]

If he can play like what Ben displayed on the weekend we will have a player.

[Special]

Winx is a full forward in the modern version ala Buddy.

[To the top]

I will be interested in seeing what he is like beneath knee high - given the descriptions of his other attributes

He may be the future prototype player

Remember both Gehrig and Riewoldt played on a wing and very, very well

Imagine a 202cm player accessing the ground from a wing

Mids are now the size they are

So is King the next invention?

Particularly if Mc Cartin returns courtesy of the efforts he and the Club are going to to give this kid the opportunity he craves

[Harves Man]

I will be interested in seeing what he is like beneath knee high - given the descriptions of his other attributes

He may be the future prototype player

Remember both Gehrig and Riewoldt played on a wing and very, very well

Imagine a 202cm player accessing the ground from a wing

Mids are now the size they are

So is King the next invention?

Particularly if Mc Cartin returns courtesy of the efforts he and the Club are going to to give this kid the opportunity he craves

Really interesting thought - the future looks very bright with him in it.

[Harves Man]

Very benefecial to watch videos and learn from the likes of Salmon, Kosi, Gherig, Stewy Lowe and Joe Daniher. Max will develop and probably change styles as his body grows as skeptic said, but the exciting thing (if he gets a good run injury free) will be the emergence of a style of his own.

I'm with Bernard Shakey. As he gains experience; Max King will ultimateley play like Max King

Absolutely. The op was never a strictly lock it in Eddie post.

I’d just hate to see us get wishy washy on what we do with him.

Remember 2006’ish when Goddard bulked up massively and we tried to play him as a KPP

Or Arryn Siposs (not a like for like comparison)... started as a FP, then we played him as a HBF, then as a HFF in the seniors and a HBF at Sandy.

They need to CORRECTLY identify what type of player they want him to be and develop his program to make it happen

I found it very sad that Arryn Siposs didn't become a star player - I thought he would end up a crack forward, elite.

[skeptic]

I will be interested in seeing what he is like beneath knee high - given the descriptions of his other attributes

He may be the future prototype player

Remember both Gehrig and Riewoldt played on a wing and very, very well

Imagine a 202cm player accessing the ground from a wing

Mids are now the size they are

So is King the next invention?

Particularly if Mc Cartin returns courtesy of the efforts he and the Club are going to to give this kid the opportunity he craves

Was surprisingly good as a junior at ground level... not a mid by any means but could win the ball at ground level

[ausfatcat]

Max King should play like Max King

Everyone is different trying to emulate someone else play style is only headed for disaster and nothing else.

From the above the only thing Max should take from other players is determinization, attitude and commitment. IUf those three things are achieved and a little luck (for injuries) we will see the best of Winx whatever that maybe but please don't try to be a player their not.

[Leo.J]

Tell that to Cho...

He’ll get the Cho key fwd template out and ruin him like McCartin and Bruce. He’ll be used as a battering ram and a step ladder in an ineffective forward line. Cho’s eyes will light up with Max’s height, his message will be ‘bomb it more’...