King twins

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... abc5172d5d

[sainterinsydney]

Copy paste please so we can read. Thanks

[Joffa Burns]

Moneyball: Latest AFL trade, draft and contract news
As his twin Ben closes on a new deal at North Melbourne, rivals are growing less confident of their chances of prising Harry McKay out of Carlton.

SAINTS HAVE KING-SIZED TRADE PLANS
Jay Clark

St Kilda is expected to launch a massive bid to poach Gold Coast’s Ben King to join his twin brother Max in Saints’ colours.

The Saints remain eager to land the star spearhead at the end of next season when King’s contract with the Suns expires.

St Kilda’s strong interest in the No. 6 draft pick puts the Suns on notice to continue their climb up the ladder and contend for finals next year or risk losing King.

The third-year goal kicker has informed clubs that he doesn’t want to discuss his next contract until next season, with his focus firmly on the team’s on-field performance this year.

But St Kilda, which has loaded up on midfielders in the past three trade periods adding Brad Crouch, Brad Hill, Zak Jones, Jack Higgins and Daniel Hannebery, could help round out the club’s list build if it can snare the Sandringham product on a long-term deal.

The Saints face key decisions on a number of its players this season including free agent Jack Billings, workhorse midfielder Seb Ross, swingman Jake Carlisle as well as Hannebery to help manage the salary cap at season’s end.

Hannebery’s lucrative five-year deal expires at the end of 2023 but the former Swan has been heavily restricted by injury in his first three years at Moorabbin.

“If it keeps being that he can’t play, time will start to burn out, but we are not looking at it that way,” chief operating officer Simon Lethlean said last month.

Ben King has shown he can comfortably play at both ends throughout his junior career, but the goal kicker wants to develop his career as a forward where he has booted 65 goals in 39 games with the Suns.

His brother Max has booted 34 goals from 25 games on the back of his recovery from a knee reconstruction.

If successful in the trade raid next year, St Kilda would have one of the most dangerous forward combinations in the competition for the next decade if it can pair-up the King twins.

Western Bulldogs’ legend and AFL Academy coach Brad Johnson told the Herald Sun recently the pair would soon become two of the best key forwards in the game.

“The King boys could be kicking 160 goals between them each year, with the way the game is going,” Johnson said.

“Their movement and agility is like no other 200cm players that I have seen.

“They read the ball well, they attack the contest, they don’t lose their feet.

“And when the ball hits the deck, it is like ‘wow, what is happening here’. And that is what we are seeing today. They are never out of the contest.

“That is what will set them apart as they get bigger and stronger.”

Gold Coast has made significant strides forward as a club under new coach Stuart Dew and is confident its on-field progression and off-field environment will be enough to keep the Sandringham product in Queensland.

[Joffa Burns]

As a side note I posted on Saturday - I was told the Suns expect Ben to be playing in Melbourne in 2023 but Saints weren't front runner for his signature at this point in time.

[The Recruit]

If Ben returns to melb and we don't land him we may as well pack up. He should be a lock and about time something like this went our way.....

[bangaulegend]

If Ben returns to melb and we don't land him we may as well pack up. He should be a lock and about time something like this went our way.....

Could not agree more if we can't land Ben King what hope do we have of landing anything decent

[chook23]

If Ben returns to melb and we don't land him we may as well pack up. He should be a lock and about time something like this went our way.....

Could not agree more if we can't land Ben King what hope do we have of landing anything decent

If they both harbour to be a FF ...why would either want to be at the same club

[magnifisaint]

If Ben returns to melb and we don't land him we may as well pack up. He should be a lock and about time something like this went our way.....

Could not agree more if we can't land Ben King what hope do we have of landing anything decent

If they both harbour to be a FF ...why would either want to be at the same club

Because they want to play together

[saintbob]

It would be an absolute dream to have both King boys, but our priority should be gun outside mids.

We need to clear out the list cloggers like Lonie, Dunstan, McKenzie, McKernan, Wood, Clavarino and retire both Carlisle and Hannebery before we could even consider trading for BK

[bangaulegend]

If Ben returns to melb and we don't land him we may as well pack up. He should be a lock and about time something like this went our way.....

Could not agree more if we can't land Ben King what hope do we have of landing anything decent

If they both harbour to be a FF ...why would either want to be at the same club

I'm sure we could come to some arrangement . I'm not convinced that FF is the right fit for either but IMO they will be very handy no matter where they play

[MC Gusto]

I feel like we are romanticising this somewhat. I get it two Kings, born and bread saints fans, gun forwards etc
But do we need two 6’8 forwards? Surely 1 complimented with some gun inside outside mids who can use the ball ie. Mccluggage / josh Kelly equivalents is more what we need??

Big forwards are only useful if the ball comes to them a d comes to them lace out!

[The Recruit]

Seriously

So Jeremy Cameron and Hawkins together doesn’t work..?
Get it done Saints, a pair of Kings beats most hands

[Devilhead]

Bing was a CHB as a junior occasionally going forward

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Looked to me like Tony Brown was saying to Ben "See you soon at Moorabbin" after the game last Saturday.

[Ghost Like]

I'd love to have both. I'd also love to have a system in play that allows our key forwards to separate, giving options to our mids as they run forward.

Higgins & Butler could ride shotgun for each.

Membrey & Marshall would enjoy the freedom as well as the 3rd and 4th defenders.

Let's hope we can stockpile some young mids and continue the development of Bytel, Brybes and Clark as mids.

Connolly can hopefully secure Clark's HBF spot next season.

Ahhh to dream.

[saintsRrising]

Remember that Ben King will cost a huge amount in picks and or players.

[skeptic]

If we got Ben... surely that’s the end of the line for Battle as a forward right?

To me it’s then Battle to CHB unless him and Bing swap from time to time

Pbly works out pretty well to be honest

King, Bing and Members as your marking forward
Howard, Wilkes and Battle as your big defenders

Marshall and Ryder (for now) can sit forward if we need Bing back for whatever reason

That’s the end of Carlisle, Frawley, McKernan, Clavand Joyce

Pbly really sets up our spine for 6-7 years minus back ups/ developmental types

There’s a degree of flexibility there too

[Beno88]

If Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn, Richmond or Essendon had Max King, they would simply make the Ben King trade happen. No question.

Have we got the ability to do the same? I'm not so sure.

[Ghost Like]

If Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn, Richmond or Essendon had Max King, they would simply make the Ben King trade happen. No question.

Have we got the ability to do the same? I'm not so sure.

Yes, all those clubs would recognise the Kings as cornerstones, not only on the field but for marketing, sponsorships and memberships.

[samoht]

I'd forget about Ben King.

We have recruited injury-prone midfielders in Hannebery and Jones, who have been notable for their absence.

Our midfield is miles away from the Bulldog midfield.

I would be concentrating on picking up the next available Bailey Smith, etc - the young, skilled midfielders.

[magnifisaint]

I'm pretty certain he will eventually be at the Saints. They will play together in the future. It's a no brainer.

[Teflon]

Ofcourse you get him
Yes we need mods totally agree but a twin tower FF/CHF with ability to rotate just insane ...key forwards who are guns who love the club rare as hens teeth
It will cost imo we look longer term so over next 2 drafts reunite Kings then its Battle back and mid mid mid after that...,

[Wayne42]

Ben King has kicked 1 goal 3 so far against the Lions, Twin Yips.

[B.M]

They are getting flogged again

Every flogging means he’s closer to jumping ship

[Teflon]

Ben King has kicked 1 goal 3 so far against the Lions, Twin Yips.

Can you imagine these 2 in our forward half??
We’d win the game on marks/points kicked alone..