St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has firmly defended his club's decision to play forward Max King after the 26-year-old's long-awaited AFL comeback was cut short by hamstring tightness on Sunday, ending a return that lasted fewer than three quarters against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.
King's latest injury scare came in what was only his first AFL appearance in 757 days, with the Saints announcing he would not return to the field after he left the ground just 13 minutes into the third term. Lyon confirmed King would undergo scans on Monday to determine the extent of any damage.
Lyon's defence: the data behind the King selection call
Despite the setback, Lyon was unapologetic, pointing to an extensive rehabilitation and conditioning program that he says gave the medical team confidence King was ready to play.
"I don't even know what the outcome is, so how can it be an error before there's an outcome?" Lyon said post-match. "We stand by our decision to play him."
The Saints coach detailed the metrics underpinning that confidence, revealing King's four-week rehabilitation block included 50 per cent more volume of high-speed running and a remarkable 500 per cent increase in very high-speed running — defined as running above 24 kilometres per hour. His biggest training sessions reportedly exceeded game-load benchmarks by 20 per cent.
King's role was also carefully managed, with the plan limiting him to two six-minute stints per quarter — a total of 12 minutes each term — in what Lyon described as a "very considered, very worked out" approach.
"I'm happy for it to sit with me and our team because we collaborate," Lyon said.
A night of limited moments for King
On the field, King's impact was minimal through no fault of his own. He started each quarter on the bench and came on after the seven-minute mark every time. North Melbourne defenders Charlie Comben and Aidan Corr took turns keeping close tabs on him, offering little space.
His statistical contribution amounted to just one kick — a long set shot from the boundary in the second quarter — and one handball. His most notable moment came in a forceful collision with Kangaroos forward Cam Zurhaar, which resulted in a 50-metre penalty against the North Melbourne player.
King left for the rooms shortly after departing the ground midway through the third quarter and did not reappear before the Saints officially ruled him out for the remainder of the match.
Veteran Saint Brad Hill expressed cautious optimism post-match, saying: "Fingers crossed because if it is [serious], it's so sad. It's been a tough journey for him the last couple of years, so I'm hoping nothing bad has happened."
A brutal injury history for King
The latest scare is the most recent chapter in a deeply difficult period for King. His nightmare run began with a season-ending posterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee during a two-point loss to Port Adelaide on June 30, 2024 — a setback that locked his game tally at 83 appearances for more than two years.
Despite signing a six-year contract extension in October 2024 tying him to St Kilda until 2032, he then endured three surgeries on his right knee following a pre-season setback last year, followed by a calf injury in February and a hamstring strain in only his second VFL match of the current season in May.
King spent part of his most recent rehabilitation on the Gold Coast, where he was able to spend time with his twin brother Ben, before St Kilda chose to fast-track him directly into senior football rather than return him via the VFL.
"It's not ideal, right? But it's about resilience and coming again," Lyon said.
Saints win despite King's exit as Wanganeen-Milera dazzles
The concern over King did not derail St Kilda on the scoreboard, with the Saints running out 31-point winners over North Melbourne in a result that boosted their wildcard finals hopes. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was the standout performer, finishing with four goals and an extraordinary 46 disposals, three of those goals coming after he shifted forward in the third quarter to effectively end the contest as a competitive event.
