Repaying the faith is unequivocally, indisputably, front of mind for Max King. That, and in turn bringing success to St Kilda, is all he wants to do.
King’s signature on a gargantuan eight-year contract might well be biggest contract in the history of the club in terms of both length and significance, seeing him in red, white and black until at least the end of 2032.
It really is a big deal. And he certainly knows that.
“I’m pumped to be here for a few more years. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” King told saints.com.au.
“I love playing for this club, I love the boys and I have a lot of faith in the coaches, the footy program and the direction we’re going. It was all pretty easy… it’s where I want to be.
“I want to do my bit and contribute. This is where I want to play my footy and I really appreciate the club showing faith in me.
“I know it’s a long-term deal and I really hope I can repay some of that on the field.”
Naturally, the news of a mammoth eight-year deal is going to come with its fair share of noise and opinion, particularly for a key position player who many have pinned their hopes on.
As captain Jack Steele in his speech at last Monday’s Trevor Barker Award as the Saints galvanise for a tilt at next September after missing out this season just gone, pressure is a privilege. Expectations are a compliment that prove one, or many, are capable of more.
Both facets have almost been synonymous with the No. 12 from close to the moment he first arrived at St Kilda in 2018 as a top-end draft pick coming off an ACL injury, carrying through in varying degrees of intensity across his 83-game career to-date with 159-goal return.
This latest contract extension will only intensify that scrutiny from a myriad of angles, however whereas he and the Saints might have sweltered under the pressure previously, King says he’s prepared to welcome the heat and weight of expectation.
“There is pressure and I think if you ignore it and pretend it’s not there you’re in a bit of trouble, but I guess it’s about learning to accept the pressure and deal with it,” King said.
“Obviously growing up a Saints fan you have that connection to the club. Once you get here it turns into a bit of different beast, but I feel so connected to the club and I’m really excited for the opportunity we have to make history.”
“This is our chance”
Fifty-eight years have now passed since St Kilda lifted its first and only premiership.
Over 500 players have come through the doors in the hopes of achieving a second since that day, but as close as they may have come throughout the last half-century, the fabled trophy in the C.J. Levin/St Kilda Football Club Heritage Museum at RSEA Park remains alone.
That achievement isn’t forgotten by the club, nor is it lost on King, despite the increasing stretch of time.
An image of premiership captain Darrel Baldock, premiership cup aloft (and, for the history buffs, digitally edited into a St Kilda guernsey) and the other heroes of 1966 line the walls of RSEA Park in the corridor leading into the boys’ locker room: a visual reminder of what everyone at the Saints are all striving towards.
“We’re all really aware of the opportunity we have. You see it on the walls around the club of the ’66 Premiership team, so it’s so front of mind that we want to be that next group to achieve that,” King said.
“Looking forward to the next chapter, I think we have a really special group and I’m really excited about where we’re going in the next few years. It’s been a great journey, but I feel there’s so much more to achieve.
King is the jewel in the Saints’ crown of youngsters, whose potential is only just being tapped. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that he is only 24 years old and is still classed as one of the club’s “young talents”.
Mitch Owens, Marcus Windhager and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera are only 21 years old — the latter finishing fifth in this year’s Best & Fairest — and have each been earmarked as important components for St Kilda’s future, while Mattaes Phillipou and Darcy Wilson are still teenagers and played every game in their respective debut seasons.
All of St Kilda’s draftees from the most recent AFL Draft — Hugo Garcia, Angus Hastie, Lance Collard and Arie Schoenmaker — made their debuts in the inaugural seasons, Category B rookies Angus McLennan and the untried Irishman Liam O’Connell have several promising signs baked in, and to boot, the Saints currently have pick No. 7 and 8 (compensation for free agent Josh Battle) to bring in two premium youngsters at this year’s AFL Draft.
“As a few of us have gotten older… you look around and think ‘this is our chance, it’s time to do it now’,” King said.
“You only get so many opportunities in your career and as a group to challenge for a premiership. We don’t want to waste years of guys’ primes who are really good players for us.
“We’ve got some good young players coming through, but we feel like it’s time to start challenging towards a flag and playing regular finals.
“We’ve got a great leadership group and then there’s a group of guys under them who are really pushing. Everyone knows the character of Marcus (Windhager), Mitch (Owens), Mattaes (Phillipou) and a few of those younger boys, and I think the leaders are really grateful to have a young core underneath them pushing them along.
“We have a lot of good leaders at the club, and I want to be with them driving change.”
Desperate to play
Injury has been unkind to King over the past 12 months, undergoing two shoulder reconstructions after an injury-affected 2023 prior to suffering a full PCL tear to his left knee which, although not requiring surgery, ruled him out of action for the last eight matches of 2024.
Repeated stints in rehab have taught King “a thing or two” about resilience, but has further reinforced his hunger to pull on the red, white and black every week.
King has a been in at RSEA Park just about this off-season, save for a visit to brother Ben up in the Gold Coast, spending a fair share of his break in the gym to steel himself for 2025.
“I’m desperate to play footy, that’s why I’m here,” King said.
“I want to play footy every week, and when that gets taken away from you, you realise that rehab can be a really good opportunity to work on a few things… that will make you a better footballer, a better person, when you do come back.
“It does teach you a lot about yourself and when you’re in rehab it gets a bit lonely at times, but you learn a lot of things and I’m grateful for those experiences.
“The sooner you start seeing it as an opportunity, it makes it a lot easier to get through.”
King has turned to forwards coach and St Kilda legend Robert Harvey for inspiration and advice over the past two seasons.
Harvey’s longevity in the game, spanning a whopping 21 seasons for a club record 383 games, and ability to squeeze every bit out of himself to be the absolute best is something that St Kilda’s leading spearhead has taken in his stride, particularly during his stretches on the sidelines through injury.
“Since ‘Banga’ came across, he’s been a really positive influence on our group and me in particular. Drawing on some of his experiences… obviously he got so much out of himself as an AFL player and was always looking to get better,” King said.
“He’s been massive for me and taught me lots of lessons throughout the year. He did every little thing he could to maximise his career and I think it’s a great lesson for everyone.
“I feel like there’s lots of people in my corner and I’m very grateful for that.”
Repaying the faith
Ultimately, actions speak louder than words.
There’s still at least five months until St Kilda lines up for its first game of 2025, but there’s no question as to King’s commitment not only in the here and now, but well into the future in order to repay that all-important faith.
“When you look ahead, it’s a really good block of years to try and achieve something with this team,” King said.
“When I think about it, it makes me feel excited for what can we achieve here. It’s a really good opportunity to make history at a club who have been starved of it, so it’s really important to us to move forward, play finals and challenge.
“I’m definitely optimistic. I feel we’re heading in the right direction in so many ways and I can’t wait to see what comes of it.
“I just want to get to work and keep chipping away.”
