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Live sport on SN this weekend"Desperate move": Cornes pans Saints over recalling King
Nicholas Quinlan • July 25th, 2026 8:30 pm
Max King is set to suit up for St Kilda's AFL side for the first time in 756 days.
But Kane Cornes has questioned the Saints' decision to play the 26-year-old this week, calling the move desperate.
The former No. 4 pick has not played an AFL match since Round 16, 2024, having battled with knee, calf and hamstring injuries throughout the last two seasons.
King appeared to be on track for a return earlier in the season, having managed to get through the Saints’ Round 5 clash against Gold Coast in the VFL unscathed.
But in their match against the Blues the following week, King came off with a hamstring strain, delaying his return for several weeks.
Having now completed his conditioning block, the club has ruled him fit for their Round 20 match-up against the Kangaroos, putting him straight into the starting line-up without going through the VFL.
“It's a high-risk strategy,” Tom Morris explained on SEN’s Crunch Time.
“They've changed it, so instead of him playing VFL and getting match practise that way, they've tried to give him a conditioning block and allow him to get his fitness up at training.
“It's amazing that last time he was playing VFL and this time they've gone against that, and he's gonna play.”
But Cornes expressed confusion over the decision, wondering if he’ll be able to play out the remainder of the season without interruption given his previous history.
“I don't understand that,” he said.
“It's easy to say what are they doing? But that's what I'm gonna say.
“He did his hammy coming out on a very slow lead last time in the VFL.
“I would've rathered four weeks in the VFL and then, if you make an unlikely run towards the finals, then play him then.
“I think it's a desperate move and I'd be surprised if it works out well for them.
“We all hope it does, cause he's one of the most watchable players, and we're all praying and hoping that it goes well for him.
“But I'd be staggered if he can play uninterrupted for the back part of this year, particularly when they play against some of the better sides.”
While Cornes doesn't like the call, former West Coast coach Adam Simpson acknowledged St Kilda’s decision wasn’t abnormal.
However, he noted the Saints will be feeling plenty of nerves when the 202cm key forward lines up on the field.
“The normal build-up is to go through the VFL, and that was the first plan,” Simpson added.
“We'll play you 40 minutes, 60 minutes, 80 minutes, then come back in the AFL.
“But he does his hamstring in the second game (back) so clearly they've gone, ‘Let's get that build-up off the field, and whether that works or not, we won't know’.
“But we did that a lot at West Coast. (If) the first plan of action didn't work, let's try a different plan, let's over-index the training loads and all the metrics you take, but you go into the game with so much trepidation.”
The Saints are preparing for a season-defining clash against North Melbourne on Sunday afternoon at Marvel Stadium.
After that, they’ll face Sydney, Carlton, Richmond and Gold Coast to conclude their home and away season.
