{"id":825507,"date":"2026-07-26T19:39:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T19:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/825507\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T19:39:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T19:39:00","slug":"fiery-lyon-defends-saints-after-kings-failed-comeback-the-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/825507\/","title":{"rendered":"Fiery Lyon defends Saints after King’s failed comeback | The Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"StSt Kilda’s win over North Melbourne has been marred by Max King’s injury on his long-awaited return. Photo: Adam Trafford\/AAP PHOTOS<\/p>\n

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has staunchly defended the club’s approach to Max King after the Saints spearhead failed to complete his first AFL game in 757 days.<\/p>\n

As Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera dragged the Saints to a vital 31-point win with another Marvel Stadium masterclass, the club’s golden hope up forward was unable to finish the match.<\/p>\n

King left the field in the third quarter of St Kilda’s 13.15 (93) to 8.14 (62) win due to hamstring tightness.<\/p>\n

The 26-year-old will undergo scans, but wasn’t spotted again – even in the team song – after being taken to the rooms.<\/p>\n

King earned just two possessions, including missing a difficult shot on goal in the second term.<\/p>\n

\"KingKing took this mark but bowed out in the third quarter without having registered a point. (Adam Trafford\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n

It was King’s first AFL game since June 30, 2024, having battled knee injuries as well as soft-tissue concerns.<\/p>\n

He had two games at VFL level earlier in the year but suffered a hamstring injury in one of those, pushing back his comeback past the two-year mark.<\/p>\n

Lyon declared King had trained strongly in a four-week block to justify playing him on limited minutes against the Kangaroos.<\/p>\n

“I don’t even know what the outcome is, so how can it be an error before there’s an outcome,” Lyon responded to repeated questions about King.<\/p>\n

“But we stand by our decision to play (him). We have high-performance experts … we have conditioning, we’re really quite confident.<\/p>\n

“Hindsight’s 20-20, isn’t it?<\/p>\n

“You can’t be timid souls sitting in the sidelines.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We’re in the arena making decisions.”<\/p>\n

Lyon laughed when asked for further detail on King’s injury and his welfare, saying he had already answered it.<\/p>\n

“It’s about resilience and coming again,” Lyon said.<\/p>\n

“He’s run down an AFL race, feels good, had a start, get a feel for how hard it is, and rehab a potential soft tissue injury.<\/p>\n

“I haven’t seen Max King, I was coaching, he wasn’t in the rooms, he wasn’t in the song.<\/p>\n

“When we get the results, we’ll update it. There’s no angst.<\/p>\n

“We’ve got to stand by the decision because we made it.”<\/p>\n

\"AA locked-in Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera posted some stunning stats in leading St Kilda over the Roos. (Adam Trafford\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n

St Kilda (9-10) finish the round placed 10th, in a wildcard spot ahead of the final month of the season.<\/p>\n

After starting strongly with a 16-point lead at quarter-time, St Kilda were fortunate not to be further behind than a goal during the third term.<\/p>\n

The Kangaroos butchered numerous gettable chances all day, with Wanganeen-Milera’s switch to deep forward reaping rewards for the Saints.<\/p>\n

Nearly a year to the day since he inspired St Kilda to a famous comeback against Melbourne, Wanganeen-Milera produced a third quarter for the ages when he kicked three goals from 10 touches.<\/p>\n

He inexplicably didn’t poll three votes for his performance against the Demons last year, but the 23-year-old will surely have to earn the maximum this time for his four-goal, 46-possession domination of the Kangaroos.<\/p>\n

Wanganeen-Milera also registered 1062 metres gained – more than half a kilometre greater than the game’s next best, Saints’ Darcy Wilson (489).<\/p>\n

St Kilda were rocked by two late changes, pulling out Cooper Sharman (managed) an hour before the start, while ruckman Rowan Marshall suffered back spasms in the warm-up.<\/p>\n

\"HarryHarry Sheezel was useful as usual for the Kangaroos, with 29 touches and a goal. (Adam Trafford\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n

After a season of steady improvement, the Kangaroos’ campaign appears shot as they sit a game and significant percentage outside the top-10.<\/p>\n

Veteran Jack Darling capitalised up forward with three goals, but captain Nick Larkey continues to suffer the yips.<\/p>\n

Once arguably the safest set shot in the AFL, Larkey has managed 6.15 in his past six games.<\/p>\n

Charlie Comben was taken to hospital after a heavy collision late in the match, but Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson said doctors were confident the key defender hadn’t suffered any internal damage.<\/p>\n

“They’re just taking him there for observation because he was just coughing up a little bit of blood,” Clarkson said.<\/p>\n

“It was a heavy hit, open to his chest area, but they seem to think he’s going to be all right.”<\/p>\n

Australian Associated Press<\/p>\n

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