At a glance:

• Jarryd Roughead has backed in Max King and the Saints' forward line following Saturday's loss to Melbourne. 
• King has played every game in his debut season and sits second in St Kilda's goalkicking tally.
• Roughead, along with Dan Hannebery and Jade Gresham, will join the Saints in Noosa after completing two weeks' quarantine.

Four-time Premiership Hawk Jarryd Roughead has dismissed claims St Kilda’s forward line needs to be “fixed” and has again called for patience surrounding key forward Max King.

The Saints were presented with opportunities to put themselves in a winning position against Melbourne last Saturday, but instead registered its second consecutive defeat by less than a goal.

“I’m not sure we need to ‘fix’ it, I think we just need to make the most of our opportunities,” Roughead told SEN.

“Whether it be a different ground or the defence of Melbourne who have been in great form, it’s just one of those things at the moment when you’re still trying to gel together when you’ve really only been a forward line for 14 games now.”

Brett Ratten’s men registered 16 more inside-50s – their second largest differential to advantage this season – and generated two more scoring shots than their opposition on Saturday night.

King’s hands have received increased external attention over recent weeks as a result, which Roughead has brushed aside as he looks to resume work with the young key position talent in the coming weeks.

“I think we’re having a look at that pretty in-depth if we’re just worried about that,” Roughead said.

“He’s doing everything right other than that last five per cent of making sure that he clunks his marks.

“We’ve just got to get the balance right when we’re going inside-50 and that’ll come, but also he’ll get better at the contest as well.

“He’s been the biggest in his age group for a number of years and probably hasn’t had defenders other than his brother bear down on him, so having tall defenders like Harris Andrews two weeks ago, Steven May on the weekend – he’s probably come up against the two blokes fighting out for All-Australian full back.”

In his first season at AFL level, King has played all games to date, been nominated for the NAB Rising Star, sits second in St Kilda’s goalkicking tally (19) behind Dan Butler (24) and charts in top-10 for contested marks (22) across the entire competition.

For 18-20-year-olds League-wide, he ranks first for contested marks and second for goals – one behind his twin, Ben King.

“It’s not as if it’s all smooth sailing in your first couple of years, but I think as time goes on midfielders will get better kicking it to him, and others, if he’s not in the right position.”

Roughead, along with wife Sarah, daughter Pippa and five-week-old son Will, were on the last flight up to Queensland earlier this morning alongside sidelined Saints Jade Gresham and Dan Hannebery.

“I might have some spare babysitters there, but again, if you’re trusting Hanners and Gresh with that type of responsibility, it might go pear-shaped,” Roughead said.

“Hanners is trying and doing everything he can (to get back).

“He’s been working with the physio back here and he started running the other day, so hopefully while we’re in quarantine we can get some good training in he can make a run at it towards the end of the year.”