He's Only 22

[Vortex]

Anyone want to defend King's game with the argument he's only 22.

His kicking has become such a liability not only for himself but the whole team.

His set shots are literally hard to watch,

[seano1]

He’s not the messiah

[Devilhead]

He needs an intervention with his kicking .... simple as that

At least try a different approach with his technique

Just has to happen

[SaintJohno]

Yep, feel really sorry for him. The pressure must be immense and increase with each miss. It's all between the ears.

[The Fireman]

So we trade him?

[repta]

Harlem Globetrotter King
Watch him spin a ball
Dance through an imaginary hoop
whilst stretching 12 foot into the air
All while kicking for goal


Roll up roll up
He bops he drops
He wriggles shakes and rolls
All whilst kicking for goal

[bangaulegend]

King had a poor night for sure but IMO he is our future & will get better with time

[SuperDuper]

needs to stop getting so close to the man on the mark!

[AJR]

He fails at goal kicking over and over and has now lost St Kilda their faint chance of making finals. He, alone. He had perfect opportunities from easy positions- Grade D amateurs player would have kicked every one.

Straight after the game Reiwoldt was into cuddle mode.

Foe some reason St Kilda people hate Matthew Lloyd, who has worked with him in the past. Lloyd was a goal kicker under all circumstances.

This guy is going to take up millions of dollars in salary cap over the next 10 years. They need ro get over their prejudices and employ Lloyd tomorrow. Unless King’s goal kicking is rectified, we’re stuffed; and the most obvious and immediate answer is to get Lloyd with him.

Ratten’ s on TV stating how much practice Kkng does. More excuses and cuddling. He’s practising the wrong approach!

He’s broken team mates’ and supporters’ hearts tonight; yet Ratten is insisting Saints have the right people ther to work with him and Apparently he doesn’t have any flaws. I disagree.

[Annoyedsaint]

His footy IQ is 22???
Nope. Wayyyy too high.

Soft, no presence, mentally weak, inept.

Quite pathetic really.

[bigcarl]

Needs to spend the entire summer working on his kicking.

Technique and the mental aspects. Seeing the target in your mind's eye etc.

And needs some quality help up forward (ie another power forward) to reduce the pressure on him. You cannot saddle him with the pressure of kicking St Kilda a winning score every week.

[Trixilver]

If the pressure of kicking straight is too much for this guy, then I don't think this is the role for him.

Imagine hanging on his set shots when we're actually trying to win a final.

[freely]

Does this mean the routine he's using is the routine he's practising? Why would anyone practise approaching and kicking the ball that way? Is the problem that on match day he's not doing what he practised? Or is it that he's practising wrong? One or the other, surely.

[1965 Saint]

Below is what I posted a few weeks ago. Looks like the chickens have come home to roost. Cuddles should have dealt with it ages ago but probably said ‘don’t worry, keep trying, it will all come together before you know.’ Therein lies the problem. Should have been put back in the VFL and told when you kick 6:2 instead of 2:6 you’ll get another go. It’s cost us the opportunity to keep challenging for a final spot tonight and it’s not good enough. Membery isn’t far behind. I hope they are hanging their heads in shame for letting their team mates down. Not sure that is happening. Again, therein lies the problem.

Didn’t see the game yesterday. Was playing golf and keeping an eye on the score. Kept seeing: behind - Max King. Someone needs to get him aside, tell him to get his head out of his a..e and start doing what he’s paid to do ie kick goals instead of s……g himself, twirling the ball and missing. It’s extremely deflating for his team mates who have busted a gut upfield to get the ball to a scoring position.

[Scollop]

He needs an intervention with his kicking .... simple as that

At least try a different approach with his technique

Just has to happen

It's not technique or the approach.

His leg is not the issue. He needs to get his head right

This is a welfare issue

[Devilhead]

He needs an intervention with his kicking .... simple as that

At least try a different approach with his technique

Just has to happen

It's not technique or the approach.

His leg is not the issue. He needs to get his head right

This is a welfare issue

Its all those things

[Scollop]

Anyone want to defend King's game with the argument he's only 22.

His kicking has become such a liability not only for himself but the whole team.

His set shots are literally hard to watch,

Totally agree but if this was West Coast or Sydney or even Carlton or Hawthorn or Richmond...do you think it would be happening?

Basically his accuracy has been poor recently. What has the coach and the development people done to correct this?

We keep seeing this over and over and we pretend as if it had been fixed, however over the last few weeks there were signs that he was going back to old habits and there were problems with his approach.

We have a huge investment in this bloke so the club welfare guy (Browny) needs to find out if Max is happy in his life outside footy

If he has personal issues and he needs help or mentoring, then get it done St Kilda. If he needs a regular root, then get it done St Kilda

[B.M]

Can’t kick goals at 22?! Why not?!?!

His mental strength is poor - defeatist body language

I’ve said it before

Great forwards are peacocks… he’s does not handle responsibility

All the greatest forwards were great by 22

He’s average

He’s kicked about 5 goals in the last 5 games

His second half of the year has been putrid

[B.M]

BTW

Marcus Windhager is 19yo

And played about 10 games - he took responsibility of shutting down one of the games best - and did it!!!

Age at that level is a piss poor excuse

[Devilhead]

Can’t kick goals at 22?! Why not?!?!

His mental strength is poor - defeatist body language

I’ve said it before

Great forwards are peacocks… he’s does not handle responsibility

All the greatest forwards were great by 22

He’s average

He’s kicked about 5 goals in the last 5 games

His second half of the year has been putrid

After 58 games he is equal on terms against Hawkins, JRoo after their first 58 games - 2 of the best forwards over the last 10 years.

Would you be disappointed if he goes in to kick 700+ ??

King after his first 58 games - 107.86
Hawkins after his first 58 games - 79.42
JRoo after his first 58 games - 102.63
Franklin after his first 58 games - 135.88

[Banger9798]

Can’t kick goals at 22?! Why not?!?!

His mental strength is poor - defeatist body language

I’ve said it before

Great forwards are peacocks… he’s does not handle responsibility

All the greatest forwards were great by 22

He’s average

He’s kicked about 5 goals in the last 5 games

His second half of the year has been putrid

After 58 games he is equal on terms against Hawkins, JRoo after their first 58 games - 2 of the best forwards over the last 10 years.

Would you be disappointed if he goes in to kick 700+ ??

King after his first 58 games - 107.86
Hawkins after his first 58 games - 79.42
JRoo after his first 58 games - 102.63
Franklin after his first 58 games - 135.88

Interesting stats.
Buddy's a freak

[cwrcyn]

There are two ways you can approach goal kicking

1. In hope

Or

2. With intent


I don't see eagle-eyed focus with king. When he's walking in, he looks like he's about to fall over in a heap from fatigue. He's upright, his head is not even over the ball. His facial expression is vague, his eyes lifeless

The spinning of the ball shows nervousness and a lack of belief. As the ball rotates in his hands it's point moves slightly right to left, left to right, so there's no guarantee that when he makes contact withit that it's position is consistent . Also, by spinning the ball it means that it's 50/50 that he makes contact with the side of the ball that has the lace on it. You should never make contact with that side of the ball in a set shot because there's a slight bullge on that side of the ball. You want the flattest contact with the ball as possible.

[spert]

Can’t kick goals at 22?! Why not?!?!

His mental strength is poor - defeatist body language

I’ve said it before

Great forwards are peacocks… he’s does not handle responsibility

All the greatest forwards were great by 22

He’s average

He’s kicked about 5 goals in the last 5 games

His second half of the year has been putrid

After 58 games he is equal on terms against Hawkins, JRoo after their first 58 games - 2 of the best forwards over the last 10 years.

Would you be disappointed if he goes in to kick 700+ ??

King after his first 58 games - 107.86
Hawkins after his first 58 games - 79.42
JRoo after his first 58 games - 102.63
Franklin after his first 58 games - 135.88

I've watched all of those forwards up close at games in the past, and the common thing is that they all went a lot harder at the ball, ran harder, and fought hard for front position compared to Maxy at the same age. King is not a KPP, more like a tall flanker.

[Zed]

It’s now in his head.
If he doesn’t fix it this preseason and next year then it will haunt him and the club his whole career - and we will never win a flag while he is our main forward. You can’t have your main forward missing multiple gettable set shots in a final and expect to win.

[wally]

Yeah I don’t get why StK refuse the offer of help from Lloyd, I’ve seen him questioned a few times on the subject and each time he has been advised to keep out of it.Lloyd was his junior coach and still talks to King about other stuff.He has said before it’s about a set routine then just focus on that. The only thing he does consistently is spin the ball and even then he does that differently each time.