St Kilda forward Max King suffered a serious left knee injury during Sunday’s loss to Port Adelaide he played on with.
As first reported by the Herald Sun’s Jay Clark, King suffered a PCL injury in the second half of the Marvel Stadium game but played through it in a bid to try and help the Saints win the game.
While St Kilda is still working with specialists to determine a recovery time frame, foxfooty.com.au understands there’s question marks on whether King will return in 2024 in a potential hammer blow to the 5-10 club’s already sombre season with eight home and away games remaining.
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The 23-year old came under significant scrutiny in the fallout to St Kilda’s latest defeat to continue a tough season for the former Pick 4.
It includes King being bothered by that same left knee earlier this year after copping a knock to the area during a Round 5 loss to GWS.
Internally the club has had full support of the spearhead, who’s previously had problems with his other knee, and commended his ability to play under duress.
While his latest down performance against Port even led to speculation that King could be put on the trade table at season’s end, the Herald Sun reports the Saints have opened talks on a new long-term extension beyond 2026.
The club is also reportedly focused on adding more explosive midfielders under Ross Lyon to sharp its forward 50 delivery.
The Saints will need to restructure their forward line ahead of Sunday’s Marvel Stadium clash with Sydney without both King and Anthony Caminiti (ankle), while Jack Hayes (knee) is also sidelined.
King has booted 159 goals from 83 games including career-best 52 majors in 2022. He’s since struggled to recapture that form, bagging 28 goals from 11 games last year in a season disrupted by injury and kicking 19 goals from 12 appearances this year.