Max King (rugby league)

Max King

Personal information
Full name	Maxwell David King [1]
Born	(1997-05-04) 4 May 1997 (age 27) Huddersfield, England [note 1]
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	105 kg (16 st 7 lb)
Playing information
Position	Lock, Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2017–19 Gold Coast Titans 38 1 0 0 4 2019–21 Melbourne Storm 12 1 0 0 4 2022– Canterbury Bulldogs 62 0 0 0 0 Total 112 2 0 0 8 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2022 Prime Minister's XIII 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1] As of 6 July 2024

Maxwell David King (born 4 May 1997) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop and lock for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League (NRL).

He previously played for the Gold Coast Titans and the Melbourne Storm in the NRL.

Background

King was born in Huddersfield, England ^{[note 1]} to an Australian father and an English mother. ^[4] His father David is a former professional rugby league player who was playing for the Huddersfield Giants at the time of King's birth. ^[3] His mother is from Dewsbury. ^[3]

King's great-grandfather, Cec, played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 1945 to 1946, his grandfather, Johnny, was a seven-time premiership winner with the St George Dragons and his father, David, played for the Gold Coast Seagulls from 1991 to 1992. ^[5]

He lived in Huddersfield until aged 7 when he and his family moved to Australia. He lived in Maitland and was educated at All Saints College, Maitland. It was there where he represented NSW Combined Catholic Colleges Rugby League team.

King is a West Maitland Wallaroo junior, he was signed by North Sydney Bears' Harold Matthews Cup side in 2013 and then Newcastle Knights SG Ball Cup side in 2015, before being signed by the Gold Coast Titans. ^{[6] [7]}

Playing career

Early career

In 2016 and 2017, King played for the Gold Coast Titans' NYC team. ^{[8] [9]} Max King won the Titans Holden Cup Player Of The Year in 2016 before moving up to first grade in 2017

2017

In round 3 of the 2017 NRL season, King made his NRL debut for the Gold Coast club against Parramatta. ^{[10] [11]} King won the Titans Rookie Of The Year in 2017

2018

In round 9 of the 2018 season, King scored his first NRL try in the Gold Coast's 18-32 loss to the Canberra Raiders at Canberra Stadium. ^[12]

2019

Mid-season saw King traded to the Melbourne Storm. In round 23 of the 2019 season, King made his Melbourne Storm debut against his former club the Gold Coast at AAMI Park. He had his Melbourne jersey (cap number 199) presented to him by former Melbourne player Jason Ryles.^{[ citation needed ]}

2020

In round 20 of the 2020 NRL season, King played his 50th NRL match, during the match King was placed on report for a hip drop tackle on St. George Illawarra forward Blake Lawrie. Due to the intent shown from King the tackle was referred straight to judiciary. King was later suspended for three matches by the judiciary costing himself a chance of playing in the 2020 NRL Grand Final. The tackle was described as being ugly and premeditated. ^[13]

2021

King missed the entire 2021 NRL season following complications from off-season Achilles tendon surgery. On October 1, it was announced he had signed a one-year deal to join the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs for the 2022 NRL season. ^[14]

2022

After playing off the interchange bench in the opening seven games of the 2022 season, King made his Canterbury run-on debut in their round 8 match against the West Tigers at Leichhardt Oval. Under interim coach Mick Potter he has consolidated himself in the starting 13, both in the back row and at prop. King played a total of 24 matches for Canterbury in the 2022 NRL season as the club finished 12th on the table. ^[15]

2023

King played a total of 23 games for Canterbury in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished 15th on the table. ^[16]

Notes and references

Notes

1. As of April 2024, King's birthplace is listed as Maitland, New South Wales, Australia on NRL.com. ^[2] King told the i newspaper in March 2022 that he was born in Huddersfield, England while his father David was playing for the Huddersfield Giants. ^[3]

References

1. "Max King - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
2. "Max King". NRL.com. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
3. Davidson, John (21 March 2022). "NRL forward Max King whose grandfather was one of Australia's greatest puts hand up for England selection". i. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
4. Carayannis, Michael; Read, Brent (16 September 2022). "Sport Confidential - Lodge Overlooked for PM'S XIII". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
5. NRL Digital Media (20 March 2017). "King Continues Family Tradition". Titans. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
6. NRL Digital Media. "SG BALL TEAMS ROUND 5". NSWRL. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
7. Josh Callinan (18 January 2013). "New King makes his mark in league big time". The Maitland Mercury. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
8. "K". Nyc Database. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
9. Tim Costello (28 February 2017). "Holden Cup Under 20's - 2017 Round 1 SQUADS". League Unlimited. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
10. "Updated team lists: Titans v Eels". NRL.com. 18 December 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
11. NRL Digital Media (17 March 2017). "NRL LATE MAIL: Titans v Eels". Titans. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
12. Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew. "NRL 2018 - Round 9 - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
13. "Storm prop Max King cops three-game ban for 'ugly, premeditated' tackle". www.foxsports.com.au. 29 September 2020.
14. "Max King to join the Bulldogs for next season". October 2021.
15. "NRL 2022: Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs season review". www.sportingnews.com.
16. "NRL 2023: Canterbury Bulldogs season review". www.sportingnews.com.

External links

• Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs profile