In a dream outcome for Newcastle's football community, 18-year-old Max King from Belmont has been officially drafted by the Sydney Swans during Thursday night's AFL national draft.
Following in Heeney's Footsteps
The talented forward was selected at pick 49 after the Adelaide Crows made a bid for the 191-centimetre athlete. The Swans exercised their priority rights to match the bid, having developed King through their junior academy system.
King becomes the first Hunter region product to be selected in the full AFL draft since fellow Cardiff Hawks junior Isaac Heeney back in 2014. The connection runs deep, with King now set to join 29-year-old Heeney, who has played 224 games for the Swans, in Sydney next season.
Late Draft Surprise
Fox Footy commentator Kevin "Shifter" Sheehan expressed surprise that King remained available until pick 49, telling viewers during Thursday's live broadcast: "I'm quite amazed he is here at this point in the draft for his potential. He has got enormous potential, this boy from Newcastle... he tested magnificently in the draft combine."
Sheehan highlighted King's exceptional athletic abilities, noting his magnificent running jump and speed over 20 metres. The veteran commentator even drew comparisons to Heeney, suggesting King shares similar aerial prowess and goal-scoring danger.
"They'd be surprised he is still there," Sheehan added. "He was touted at different times as being a top-20 player."
Hunter Coaches Praise Rising Star
Local coaches who have witnessed King's development through the Hunter Central Coast AFL competition were equally enthusiastic about his potential.
Corey Shackleton, who coached Killarney Vale to the 2022 first-grade flag, described King as "a nightmare to coach against" and the closest talent he'd seen to Heeney since the Swans star emerged.
"You look at it and go 'he's just a kid', but you just can't do anything about him," Shackleton said. "He was a headache to coach against, but I love the kid and I think he will go all right."
Former Cardiff and Warners Bay coach Nathan Harkness, who first coached King in under-13s, praised the youngster's versatility and attitude.
"He's a real athletic player, great attitude, left and right-foot kick," Harkness said. "His athletic ability, his high marking and his ability to cover the ground and be dangerous when he gets the ball - he can really do anything with the ball."
Rapid Rise Through Ranks
King's selection caps a remarkable journey that saw him rise through the Swans academy system into their VFL side while maintaining his connection to local club Cardiff. The recent Warners Bay High School graduate, who completed his HSC this year, had previously told the Newcastle Herald about his aspirations to join the Swans.
"I would absolutely love to play at Sydney next year," King said ahead of the draft, describing Heeney as his "favourite player growing up."
The Swans selected three other players ahead of King in the draft: Harry Kyle at pick 14, Jevan Phillipou at pick 35, and Billy Cootee at pick 42. Kyle was another Swans Academy product, while Phillipou and Cootee hail from South Australia.
Newcastle City captain-coach Mitch Crawford, who worked with King through the Swans academy, offered perhaps the most telling endorsement: "The biggest compliment I can give is his work ethic and character supersede his talent."
With the draft now complete, King prepares to begin his professional AFL career, carrying the hopes of the Hunter region and following the path blazed by his childhood hero.
