“Critique”: Special message after a devastating blow

St Kilda spearhead Max King has been given time away from the club to “collect his emotions” following his season-ending knee injury, with coach Ross Lyon adamant the key forward remains “critical” to the club’s success in 2025.

Lyon revealed the extent of King’s injury – he “tore” the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee last Sunday against Port Adelaide – and praised the 24-year-old’s “really brave effort” to continue playing under duress.

The injury comes at a time when King’s place at the Saints is in question, having kicked just 17 goals in 12 games in 2024, his fifth AFL season.

While Lyon said criticism of King’s output before his injury was “fair enough”, he said the club would not waver from their commitment to the star striker, who goalscoring great Matthew Lloyd believes could be the “best striker in the game” at some point in his career.

That career will be spent at St Kilda, where he is contracted until 2026, if Lyon have anything to do with it, with officials having entered talks over an extension before King’s latest injury setback.

“He is essential to our projects. We have invested a lot in him, he has invested a lot in us,” Lyon said on Friday.

“He’s fully committed and we’re fully committed to him. I’m really optimistic about what he’s going to bring us in the long term, provided we put all the pieces in place.

“He will have his day, we just need to give him more supply and quality and he needs a very good race for that.

“Two shoulder reconstructions and it’s been very difficult for him since I’ve been here 18 months. I’ve never seen him complain. He’s very determined and we support him.”

Lyon said he had seen former Swans champion Adam Goodes recover from a similar injury to win the Brownlow Medal after taking time to recover, and it would be King’s campaign now after adjusting to the premature end to his season.

“He’s going to have a very good series, a very good series,” Lyon said.

“We have already planned his off-season. He will take a break now, it is really important that he feels good mentally.

“What we like is that he does things off the field. He’s doing a university course, he’s very motivated, he has a goal outside of football,

“Max is working hard to build something good. We think that’s reflected in his performance on the field. He’s got it all under control.

“We’re going to let him get his bearings, then mentally prepare himself, deal with his emotions, and then recommit to being well prepared.”

With his side sitting 15th in the standings with just five wins ahead of a clash with championship favourites Sydney, Lyon acknowledged the challenge his players faced for the remainder of the season which would now be played without King.

But he said it would not be possible to put the queue in the rack at Moorabbin.

“I don’t think it depends on one player. We are ready for the challenge, we know it’s a challenge, that’s the reality,” he said.

“We will pick our best team to win. We always have.

“We’re building, we’re really excited, there’s a lot to play for in the next seven weeks.”