Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Lyon: The bottom line on King’s latest setback
Andrew Slevison • December 18th, 2025 11:02 am
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon admits Max King has “been to hell and back” with his recent injury woes.
It was confirmed on Wednesday that the 25-year-old key forward underwent more knee surgery as his horror run with his body continues. It was a minor procedure which Lyon suggests was an arthroscope to tidy up some cartilage.
King has not played footy since Round 16, 2024 and in the middle of 2025 he had meniscus lateral cartilage surgery in a bid to repair a nagging problem.
He is now set to spend more time on the sidelines, but the club insists he will be training fully by the end of January.
Lyon was honest when addressing the latest King setback with Caroline Wilson on the Don’t Shoot The Messenger podcast.
“Our view if there’s been an oil spill there’s an oil spill, so don’t try to hide it, report it,” Lyon said.
“He went in for an arthroscope. He had his meniscus lateral cartilage repaired and they’re a low percentage to work.
“But for his long-term health and career that’s the way the club went.”
Lyon admits it has been a tricky time for the talented King who has also had shoulder problems among the knee injuries.
But the Saints coach feels as though it will all eventually be fine for the 83-gamer to continue his promising career before too long.
“It’s been really tough. First day I got there they did a 3km (run) and then someone pulled his arm out of his socket and he went in for a reconstruction,” he continued.
“The bottom line is he’ll be in full training at the back of January.
“So it’s not great, he’ll have a plastic knee in the end. But he’ll get five, six, eight, nine years of great footy.
“So the club did the right thing. It was unlikely to work but we gave it a chance.
“Now they just trim the cartilage, he’ll be running in a week. He’s really every chance to be Round 1 (Opening Round), so it’s not complicated.
“But he’s been to hell and back.”
Despite another brush with surgery, King should be ready to return for the Saints when they take on Collingwood in Opening Round at the MCG on March 8 next year.
He played 60 games across 2020, 2021 and 2022, but has played just 23 matches since the beginning of the 2023 season.
