St Kilda co-captain Callum Wilkie has praised the resilience and attitude of forward Max King, who has not played an AFL match in two years due to persistent knee and soft-tissue injuries. King, a key player for the Saints, made a return to competitive football through the club’s reserves side in May but suffered a hamstring injury in only his second game back, complicating his return timeline.

Despite reintegrating into the main training group, King's official status remains uncertain, listed as "to be confirmed" by the club. Wilkie stressed King's significance to the team while supporting the medical staff’s careful approach to his recovery process.

“He provides such an energy and spark, and no one’s hungrier to get out there and play footy than big Maxy,” Wilkie said. “He’s an important part of this footy club going forward and he’s a good friend of mine – we got drafted together. I can’t wait to see him back out there, he’s a wonderful player and such an important part of our team. But when he’s ready and the club makes that decision … he’ll be awesome for us once he comes back.”

King was initially expected to return for the opening round of the season on a limited basis before suffering setbacks that extended his time away from the senior side. The recovery process has taken longer than the club initially anticipated, leading King to undertake rehabilitation on the Gold Coast in an effort to reset his progress.

Wilkie highlighted King’s exceptional mindset throughout this challenging period, noting his professionalism despite ongoing obstacles. “I’ve never seen someone with a better attitude towards rehab,” Wilkie said. “Last year was probably quite tough on him, not being able to get the exact answer of what everything was. But his attitude to come in here every week, a smile on his face, get to work and obviously have the setbacks he did and still contribute to the footy club. Within the culture, helping the forwards, it’s first class and that’s why he’s such an important part of this group.”

The Saints will continue to monitor King’s recovery closely as they navigate the season without one of their key forwards, hoping to see him return to full fitness in the near future.