ST KILDA forward Max King is still growing in confidence and believes he has plenty of scope for further development as he charges towards AFL stardom.
King is a joint leader in the Coleman Medal race with 16 goals from five rounds and has already grabbed several games by the throat this season.
The 21-year-old's form has been key to a four-match winning streak that has the Saints firmly embedded in the top-eight ahead of Friday night's clash with GWS in Canberra.
King, the No.4 draft pick in 2018, is now in his third full season after injuries kept him sidelined in his first year at St Kilda.
He has booted 76.60 from 43 career games.
"I feel like each year it (confidence) sort of grows for me," King said.
"I know I've still got a lot of things that I need to work on, so I'll keep chipping away at that.
"But definitely the more games you get under the belt, I feel more comfortable out there."
On a hot streak in recent weeks, King kicked four second-half goals against Fremantle, four in the final term against Richmond and three in the last quarter against Hawthorn.
That form led to predictions by teammates Jack Steele and Tim Membrey that the 202cm forward will deliver a "bag" of goals some time in the near future.
GOALKICKER TO GAMECHANGER How King's breakout 2022 compares
Saints ruckman Paddy Ryder also talked up King, saying he'll one day be able to tell his grandkids the pair played together.
"I feel like I've had some good quarters where I do sort of get a bit of that momentum," King said.
"The next step is trying to put a full game together ... that's the big thing for me, trying to get that consistency in my game.
"It is good to show little glimpses like that and it does help the team, but the next step is trying to put full games together."
Speaking at the launch of the AFL's 2022 Auskick program, childhood St Kilda fan King revealed he once idolised one of the club's cult figures.
"I've got very fond memories of Auskick running around in a Saints jumper," King said.
"I had Troy Schwarze's No.40 on my back, which was a bit of a rare one, but I liked his long hair."
