Steven King (footballer)

Infobox afl player NEW
playername = Steven King
fullname = Steven King
image capt =


birthdate = Birth date and age|1978|11|22|df=y
birthplace = Shepparton, Victoria
originalteam = Murray Bushrangers (TAC Cup)
draftpick = Unknown
AFL Gee
heightweight = 202cm / 105kg
position = Ruckman
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
currentclub = AFL Stk
guernsey = 2
years = 2008 –
1996 – 2007
clubs = AFL Stk
AFL Gee
games(goals) = 19 (5)
193 (75)
sooyears =
sooteams =
soogames(goals) =
nationalyears =
nationalteams =
nationalgames(goals) =
coach = notcoach
coachyears =
coachclubs =
coachgames(wins) =
statsend = Round 22, 2008
careerhighlights =

AFL
* St. Kilda Pre-season Cup Winning side 2008
* Geelong Premiership Player 2007
*All-Australian 2000
*International rules Series 2000

Geelong Football Club
*Geelong Best and Fairest 2000, 2002
*Geelong Captain 2003-2006
* Geelong VFL Premiership Player 2007

Steven King (born 22 November 1978) is an Australian rules footballer.

Career

Debuting as a 17-year old with the Geelong Cats in 1996, King is a gifted ruckman. He won All-Australian selection and won the Carji Greeves Medal in 2000 and again in 2002. He was captain of the club between 2003 and 2006.

In 2005, King was hit by numerous injuries and was criticised midway through the year in media outlets like the Herald Sun for his poor performances which his injuries caused. The aforementioned report in the Herald Sun newspaper brought to light the fact that the 202cm ruckman from Shepparton had not taken a contested mark up until that point of the season, which was inexcusable for a player of his stature.

A moment of controversy occurred in King's career in the 2005 Elimination Final, when he accidentally kicked Melbourne's Jeff White in the head. Both men were contesting a boundary throw in, and it was knocked to the ground. King was the man in front, and when the ball bounced up to head height, he took a mighty swing at it with his right foot. He missed the ball completely, but connected with White's face, giving him injuries which have been described as "equivalent to those of a car accident victim," requiring White to have several plates and screws inserted.

Media commentators and fans were largely divided about whether or not King should have faced the tribunal for kicking, historically the most heavily penalised infringement whether accidental or intentional. Eventually, the Match Review Panel decided that he had no case to answer, and he was free to play in the semi-final against Sydney the following week. Somewhat ironically, a hamstring injury in the third quarter of that game coincided with a Sydney comeback, and eventually victory.

King fell out of favour in 2007, playing only a handful of AFL games and was dropped to the Victorian Football League in favour of Brad Ottens and Mark Blake. In Round 18, playing in the AFL when Ottens was rested, he took a mark over goal umpire Michael Hammond – an awkward half-speckie/half-collision which sent the umpire crashing to the ground; for the second time in his career, despite the AFL's generally strict application of the rule prohibiting contact with field umpires, King avoided tribunal action, with the Match Review Panel deeming that the goal umpire had contributed to the clash, due to the fact that he moved towards the ball as it began to fall.

King continued to perform strongly in the VFL, and played in the Cats' 2007 VFL premiership against Coburg on 23 September. Following weak finals performances by Mark Blake, King received a recall to the senior team for the AFL Grand Final, despite Blake having played more games during the season. King then participated in the Cats' 2007 AFL premiership win against Port Adelaide on 29 September, giving him his second premiership medallion within seven days.

Following Mark Blake re-signing as the #2 ruckman, King was offered a one year contract on reduced pay, which he declined. Lacking space in their salary cap, Geelong asked King to retire [ [http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2007/10/11/7730_gfc.html Geelong tells King to retire - Geelong Advertiser] ] , but eventually traded him, along with Charlie Gardiner, to St Kilda for a sixth round selection in the 2007 national draft (nominally #90; not used).

King won his 3rd premiership in 5 games when St Kilda won the NAB Cup, the AFL pre season competition. He played 22 games in 2008, and carried St Kilda's ruck division with 408 hit-outs.

Personal life

King is engaged to marry long time girlfriend and former Price Is Right model, in October 2008.

tatistics

: "Statistics are correct as of Round 15, 2008" (July 12, 2008)

References

External links

* [http://www.saints.com.au/TheClub/Players/PlayerProfile/tabid/8471/Default.aspx?playerid=15831&typeid=2 St Kilda Profile - Steven King]
*AflRleague|ref=S/Steven_King.html