Ben King staying at the Suns in 2022

[Wayne42]

AFL clubs have reportedly been told “not to bother” making a play for Ben King ahead of this year’s trade period, with the 21-year-old committed to seeing out his current contract with the Gold Coast Suns.

King has put together a fantastic season in 2021, kicking 43 goals with one round to play in a side that has languished in the bottom rungs of the ladder yet again.

The Victorian’s current contract with the club expires at the end of next year and his name has continued to be linked with a move back to his home state, where his twin brother Max plays for the Saints.

SEN reporter Sam Edmund said on Tuesday that King’s management has poured cold water on the prospect of any move before the end of his current deal.

“One of the most sought-after signatures from a playing perspective in the next 12 months is Ben King,” Edmund said on SEN Breakfast.

“He is contracted for next season on the Gold Coast, but has very much been front of mind across the competition.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/depart ... 3bcbf06ccd

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/08/17/ ... ntil-2022/

[darylcowie]

I think the King twins will be reunited in 2023.
The only question is where!

[bangaulegend]

I think the King twins will be reunited in 2023.
The only question is where!

Max is going nowhere so I hope your right

[Banger9798]

Actually feel more confident we will get him in 2023

Gives us the chance to get a topmidand a ruckman this year

[The_Dud]

Good, we need to use our top 10 pick on a genuine mid!

[Scollop]

We had 16 scores from a total of 32 inside 50’s against Geelong (that’s a very high rate of scoring shots)

If Stewart plays, there’s no way we would have scored as many times as we did.

If ever there was a stat to tell you our midfield is mediocre, that’s it right there

And by midfield, we obviously have to include our ruck stocks which are going to need replenishing when Ryder retires

[Teflon]

I thought the last line was interesting....nothing to see Ben staying but a huge watch this space?

Not the end of the world if he stays this year ...get him next...out of contract GC bargaining position not as strong.

That said.....I suspect clubs will throw stupid money at him...that might make it interesting eg Pies Bombers etc who need a big forward option...I just hope the lure of playing with his brother is greater...


RIVAL CLUBS TOLD TO HOLD FIRE ON CONTRACTED KING


AFL clubs have reportedly been told “not to bother” making a play for Ben King ahead of this year’s trade period, with the 21-year-old committed to seeing out his current contract with the Gold Coast Suns.

King has put together a fantastic season in 2021, kicking 43 goals with one round to play in a side that has languished in the bottom rungs of the ladder yet again.

The Victorian’s current contract with the club expires at the end of next year and his name has continued to be linked with a move back to his home state, where his twin brother Max plays for the Saints.

SEN reporter Sam Edmund said on Tuesday that King’s management has poured cold water on the prospect of any move before the end of his current deal.

“One of the most sought-after signatures from a playing perspective in the next 12 months is Ben King,” Edmund said on SEN Breakfast.

“He is contracted for next season on the Gold Coast, but has very much been front of mind across the competition.

“His brother Max (King) signed a four-year extension in May keeping him at the Saints until 2026 and the brothers share the same management team in Connors Sports.

“The enquiries have come thick and fast for Ben, but clubs have been told not to bother asking about him until next year, he just wants to focus on his game and that message has also been relayed to Gold Coast.

“The Suns are hopeful of getting him to the table in the off-season to sit down and sign an extension.

“They believe in all their dealings that Ben has given no indication that he’s thinking of anything other than staying at the Suns.

“This is a big watch this space moving forward.”

[Teflon]

Didn’t Bing once sing
“I’ll be home for Xmas??”

....I’m not letting go....

[The Recruit]

Means nothing

If they were confident why even comment?
Ben king ain’t wasting his career at the GC

[Wayne42]

Means nothing

If they were confident why even comment?
Ben king ain’t wasting his career at the GC

He's not going to be wasting it at St Kilda either, when he does bail from the Suns he'll go to a successful Victorian club.

[wally]

It’s almost like when the club president comes out and says the coach is safe……usually they go

[magnifisaint]

Means nothing

If they were confident why even comment?
Ben king ain’t wasting his career at the GC

He's not going to be wasting it at St Kilda either, when he does bail from the Suns he'll go to a successful Victorian club.

Yeah right that's why his brother signs a decent contract extension with the Saints.
Wake up.

[Saintmatt]

We had 16 scores from a total of 32 inside 50’s against Geelong (that’s a very high rate of scoring shots)

If Stewart plays, there’s no way we would have scored as many times as we did.

If ever there was a stat to tell you our midfield is mediocre, that’s it right there

And by midfield, we obviously have to include our ruck stocks which are going to need replenishing when Ryder retires

100% correct.

I've watched Ross and Dunstan bomb it long to Stewart one-out for years. And it would've been exactly the same last weekend. We need smarter, more well-rounded mids who make good decisions and don't just hack-kick it forward just to get it out of their area.

Please draft a proper gun mid with our 1st round pick @StKildaFC

[Wayne42]

Means nothing

If they were confident why even comment?
Ben king ain’t wasting his career at the GC

He's not going to be wasting it at St Kilda either, when he does bail from the Suns he'll go to a successful Victorian club.

Yeah right that's why his brother signs a decent contract extension with the Saints.
Wake up.

You wake up.

[Vortex]

The GCS will need to have an absolute shocker next year and the wheels will have to catch on fire and vapourise into nothing for any club to be a chance of luring Ben away from the GCS. It's possible but the AFL will step in to ensure their number one player who a whole club is currently being built around, will make it really really hard to leave.

A twist in the sub-plot could be who the next coach is. If it was say for arguments say...Clarko, then that could be akin to Leigh Matthews ariving at the Lions in 1998 and stopping a mass exodus of players.

I'm going early and say Clarko will have a year off and then head to the GC in 2023. If that happens, would Ben leave? Hey if the wheels on our own little rickety wagon internally combust in 2022 then maybe Ben might be convincing Max to come and be coached by Clarko. As we know strange things happen in AFL world.

[Gershwin]

The reason Ben would come to St Kilda after doing the right thing by GC is family and friends. If that pull is strong then it will happen.

[older saint]

B. King to Essendon 2023 .

Plying with your brother, let alone a twin isn't everyones dream.

Shane Wakelin for example became a better player once Daryl left and would have been very handy in 2004 2005 if Blight hadn't given him away for nothing!

[magnifisaint]

B. King to Essendon 2023 .

Plying with your brother, let alone a twin isn't everyones dream.

Shane Wakelin for example became a better player once Daryl left and would have been very handy in 2004 2005 if Blight hadn't given him away for nothing!

f*** them. I don't see any reason why he would do that. You would reckon he wants to play with his brother. It's logical unlike most opinions on this site.

[Devilhead]

B. King to Essendon 2023 .

Plying with your brother, let alone a twin isn't everyones dream.

Shane Wakelin for example became a better player once Daryl left and would have been very handy in 2004 2005 if Blight hadn't given him away for nothing!

Difference is the Wakelins played with each other from the outset and were from SA and weren't Saint diehards

Wakelins also went from a failing team to Premiership contenders in Port & Collingwood at that time

Bing would be coming back to a club he supported all his life to play with his brother who he has been separated from for 4 years - we have also been in his and his family's ear for the best part of the last 4 years

Also despite our failed year we are a lot more promising proposition than GC currently are ...... not sure how Essendon could fit him in their salary cap while paying Stringer, Shiel, Parish, Merrett, McGrath, Heppell while also trying to keep and satisfy all their young guns.

B. King to Saints in 2023

[IluvHarvey]

I think the King twins will be reunited in 2023.
The only question is where!

Didn’t Max just sign a contract extension?

[Goose is king]

I haven’t watched the Gold Coast matches of late but Bing’s numbers and goals have dropped hard since the Tigers match about 6 weeks ago. They have been in Melbourne a lot lately and perhaps he has checked out. I wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves early

[saynta]

We don't need Ben. What we need is a gun midfielder, a tall CHB and a Paddy replacement.

[The_Dud]

Maybe he wants to forge his own career at a different club instead of coming to St Kilda and becoming the number 2 King brother?

[magnifisaint]

Maybe he wants to come and play at the Saints with his brother. You would reckon they'd be on the phone 2 or 3 times a week.

[older saint]

B. King to Essendon 2023 .

Plying with your brother, let alone a twin isn't everyones dream.

Shane Wakelin for example became a better player once Daryl left and would have been very handy in 2004 2005 if Blight hadn't given him away for nothing!

Difference is the Wakelins played with each other from the outset and were from SA and weren't Saint diehards

Wakelins also went from a failing team to Premiership contenders in Port & Collingwood at that time

Bing would be coming back to a club he supported all his life to play with his brother who he has been separated from for 4 years - we have also been in his and his family's ear for the best part of the last 4 years

Also despite our failed year we are a lot more promising proposition than GC currently are ...... not sure how Essendon could fit him in their salary cap while paying Stringer, Shiel, Parish, Merrett, McGrath, Heppell while also trying to keep and satisfy all their young guns.

B. King to Saints in 2023

Time will tell but we need a quality ball user rather than a clone of what we already have as key forward. We will be too tall with King, Membrey and Marshall/resting ruck . JMO