St Kilda forward Max King is reportedly nearing a new deal with the Saints.
The 20-year-old is seen as the most valuable asset at Moorabbin, and while he remains contracted until the end of the 2022 season, AFL Mediaย reports the Saints are moving proactively to secure his services for several more seasons.
King has played 26 games for the Saints since making his debut in 2020 after missing his entire first season in the league due to a ruptured ACL injury.
Forward
Disposals
Marks
Goals
The exciting key-forward has booted 35 goals in the red, black and white after just eight games into his second season in the league and will be a key figure in potentially ending St Kilda's premiership drought.
It is understood the new deal would extend King's stay until the end of the 2024 season or further.
The reports follow just days afterย The Herald Sunย revealed the Saints were building a lucrative bid to land King's brother and Suns star forward Ben.
Ben is also contracted until the end of next season, which will be when the Saints - along with many others clubs - will be looking to tempt the tall-forward back to Victoria.
Max King getting it done at ground level โ #AAMISeries pic.twitter.com/CpYdC3ybQG
— AFL (@AFL) March 4, 2021
Speaking onย 3AWย this week, St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis said the club were looking to get onto the front foot in securing the services of their young gun.
โMax is a player we see having a long career at the Saints. We donโt need to wait until the final year of his contract to start renewing that,โ Finnis said.
โWeโre not a long way down the line, but itโs certainly something where Maxโs family, his management know weโre keen to extend and our guys will get that hopefully done before the end of this year.โ
Max has been underwhelming in front of goal this season, booting 13.18 for the year - taking his career tally to 35.38.
Should the highly-touted spearhead steer his shooting straighter he is sure to have a meteoric rise in contention for a Coleman Medal in the near future.
People are gonna be emotional about Max Kings game tonight because his goal kicking has cost us
Look past the goal kicking heโs taken 10 marks and had 15 disposals
If you want that dropped then I canโt help ya, you stick with your good players to shake the yips.
— Tim Fernando (@TimFernandoITPB) May 14, 2021
Following his side's loss to Geelong on Friday night, King and the Saints will be hoping to bounce back when they face the Western Bulldogs in Round 10.
