Light at the end of tunnel for star Saint, young gun to return

Max King remains sidelined with ongoing knee issues but insists he will be back before the end of this season

Max King during St Kilda's official team photo day at RSEA Park on January 28, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

ST KILDA star Max King is confident he has resolved the knee issues that have stalled his career, but the key forward doesn't have a clear timeline around his return just yet.

The 24-year-old is yet to play in 2025 after undergoing two bouts of surgery since injuring his knee in the Saints' intra-club at RSEA Park in February.

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The Saints were initially hoping King would be available by round one but lingering pain in the join resulted in a second arthroscope last month.

King hasn't played since round 16 last year after suffering a posterior cruciate ligament strain in his other knee.

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Speaking at the launch of Spud's Ride at the MCG, King is confident he will return later this season with the club not expecting the spearhead to be available until the weeks after the bye in round 13 at the earliest.

"I will play again this year. We just don't know exactly what week that looks like, but I'm really optimistic now that we're on top of it all," King said on Thursday afternoon.

"It is just a matter of reconditioning everything and getting it all up to speed. I'm looking forward to when that happens.

"We are pretty content that we've addressed it now and can move on. Extremely confident, which is good.

"It’s a hard space to be in when you're in between and in that guessing game, not sure whether you have really sorted it out. We finally got there, it took us a while and it's a shame to miss more footy, but definitely on the road back now."

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King has played 83 games for St Kilda since being selected with pick No.4 in the 2018 AFL Draft. He missed his first season while recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but then played 60 games across the next three seasons before dealing with more injury challenges.

The Haileybury College product was also limited to 11 games in 2023 after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction that pre-season and then further surgery later that year.

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"It's been tough at times, but I love playing footy and love playing for St Kilda," King said.

"When you're a footballer that's not playing football it's not very fun, but again we’ve got amazing people around me. The club has been so supportive, so I’m in a good space with it all. It's easier when there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel."

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St Kilda will host the annual Spud's Game against Carlton on Friday night in honour of the late great Danny Frawley.

Across 24 hours from Thursday to Friday afternoon, a wide range of St Kilda figures will be involved in Spud's Ride around the MCG, including Nick Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke, Glenn Maxwell and St Kilda GM David Misson.

King said the AFL and society, more broadly, have become better at recognising the challenges presented by mental health and hopes Spud's Game will continue to draw awareness.

"Football, and even society, we are making some ground with people feeling more comfortable to speak up because organisations like this and the DFC [Danny Frawley Centre] that raise a lot of awareness," he said.

"We are really aware of Spud's legacy; we've got a massive photo of him in our locker room; he is never far from us. There are not many people who aren't touched by mental health; it's a really important issue, especially in men who tend to not open as much."

Mattaes Phillipou has been ticked off to return against the Blues on Friday night after proving his fitness at training on Wednesday.

Mattaes Phillipou runs with the ball during St Kilda's clash against Brisbane in round 21, 2024. Picture: Getty Images

The 20-year-old was close to returning against Fremantle last week before suffering a corked quad at training, which forced him to be a late change before the game.

Phillipou will play his first game of 2025 after recovering from the stress fracture in his femur that sidelined him for more than four months at the start of the year.

The 2022 pick No.10 has played 37 games for the Saints and is a crucial figure in the project under Ross Lyon at Moorabbin.

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