A club's best recruit doesn't always come from the draft or the trade table. More often than not, the best recruits come from the rehab group - a player returning to the main group after a long injury layoff.
We analyse some of the competition's best players set to return from injury in 2026.
6Max King
As has been the theme of King's AFL career so far, 2025 was another injury-interrupted season. King did not feature once as the Saints limped to a 12th-place finish. At his best, King is a genuine match-winner, but he has played more than 20 games in a season just twice since being drafted in 2018.
Persistent knee injuries have hampered the towering key forward throughout his career. In 2025, a series of procedures were required on his troublesome right knee to address ongoing issues.
Having kicked 159 goals in just his first 83 games, everyone knows King is capable of becoming one of the AFL's most prolific key forwards. If he can manage a full pre-season leading into 2026, Saints fans should be excited by what he could produce.
