There is unrivalled positivity growing behind Max King’s long-awaited AFL return.
In fact, St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says “we’ve never been more optimistic” about the Saints’ spearhead.
King has not played senior footy in more than two seasons due to persistent knee and soft tissue setbacks.
But as Lyon says in this week’s now routine King update, the key forward is reaching all his milestones and is back to the AFL-standard running block.
“We’re hoping (next week), we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Lyon said.
“It’s that contingency, day by day, he’s hitting his milestones and he’s back to his 23 running.
“We’ve never been more optimistic, but Tony Elshaw, who worked with the great Denis Pagan, said to me, ‘Ross, no close-ended statements, they just get you into trouble’.
“We’ll just assess it as it comes. I loved his Telstra interview …’I’m not rehabbing for the VFL’, I tend to align with that.
“We’re optimistic, but in fairness we’ve got to get through a really important AFL game and Max has been doing a really good block of training. He’s got a fair bit to go yet.”
The important fixture Lyon alludes to is St Kilda’s season-shaping clash with Geelong on Thursday night.
The Cats have uncharacteristically fallen to ninth after winning just one match since round 11.
Lyon isn’t jumping to conclusions with the Cats, however, saying the “nuance and detail probably gets lost around the noise of win-loss”.
“There’s obviously been a lot of noise around them, but gee-whiz,” Lyon said.
“They played the Dockers with no (Tom) Stewart, no Bailey Smith. I watched that game and they were right into it to the end.
“They played a red-hot Brisbane, they did kick 6.6 against Brisbane and had 61 entries – I wouldn’t say they’re out of form.
“They were six goals up against the Giants until they lost three players with injury, so that nuance and detail probably gets lost around the noise of win-loss.
“But it certainly doesn’t get lost in our analysis of them and their capabilities. We’re going down understanding we’ve got a strong challenge.”
It wouldn’t be a Lyon press conference without the mic-drop finish and this week’s was about big man Rowan Marshall.
St Kilda was resolute on Marshall (contracted until end of 2027) in last season’s trade period and Lyon said the club would maintain that this year if rival interest arrived.
“So two things: noted (rival interest) and correct (he’s contracted),” Lyon said before exiting.
Originally published as AFL 2026: St Kilda coach Ross Lyon ‘hoping’ Max King could play as soon as next week