St. Kilda forward Max King's season is officially over, after he suffered a knee injury in his team's Round 16 loss to Port Adelaide.
King played the remainder of the game after suffering the injury just after half-time, but scans after the game revealed that he had sustained a torn PCL.
With eight rounds left in the AFL season, King has officially been ruled out until 2025, with the team hoping that the 23-year-old can make a full return.
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Max King ruled out of 2024 season with PCL tear
A torn PCL will see King miss the remainder of the Saints' 2024 season, with his team currently sitting in 15th with a 5-10 record.
While he will not require surgery, St. Kilda have acknowledged that King will require a lengthy recovery period before he is fit to play once more.
"This is a very disappointing outcome for Max," St. Kilda General Manager David Misson said via a statement.
"It’s a credit to Max’s commitment to his teammates that he played out the game on Sunday, but for his long-term future and health, it’s important we now give his knee some time to rest and recover.
"While this will see Max miss the rest of the season, pleasingly he doesn’t require surgery, and this course of action will place him in the best possible position to attack pre-season."
This injury was sustained to the same knee that King has previously dealt with injury to, missing two games earlier in the year, but the issues are believed to be unrelated.
However, it is not the same knee to which he suffered an ACL tear, injuring his right knee in 2018.
King was in the midst of a steady year before his injury, averaging 10.4 disposals, 7 kicks, and 1.6 goals on 50 per cent goal accuracy across 12 games played.
St. Kilda will now need to scramble to fill the hole left in their forward line if they wish to get their season back on track and play finals football for a second consecutive year.
