Kane Cornes wonders whether the shoulder injury suffered by Max King is already a hammer blow to their 2023 season.
King will undergo a shoulder reconstruction that will sideline him into next year, with the Saints anticipating the star key forward to miss around five months.
Cornes believes it might just be the biggest loss a team could suffer.
“It is a massive blow,” he told SEN’s Sportsday.
“Is he the player from any team across the competition that any team could least afford to lose?
“He had 93 shots on goal last year and the talk about his inaccuracy was there, but he had the shots.
“Next best was Tim Membrey with 40 less shots on goal. Then you go to Jack Higgins, then you go to Dan Butler.
“I would be a little bit concerned about the history of his body now which is now starting to build up issues for a young player.
“2018 in his draft year he had the ACL. 2019 he didn’t play an AFL game and had that nasty ankle surgery that finished his years.
“The last three years he has been reasonably sound, a little standard mishap in a training drill that requires a shoulder reconstruction.
“There’s starting to be a body of work with his body that would have me really nervous for a player that is absolutely your marquee product and your future hinges on him as a side.”
Cornes adds that the timing of the injury means King will not be able to complete any pre-season work, adding to the length of his recovery.
“It’s a five-to-six-month injury, but that’s only when you come back. You don’t come back how you left,” he said.
“It is so nasty. Just ask Wayne Carey or those who have done one. I played with Michael Wilson who had a double reconstruction and it was absolutely horrific to see what he went through.
“So yes there is the timeframe to come back, but to do that off no pre-season, no contested work … it’s a strong comment, but you almost put a line through their finals chances on the back of this.”
Saints head of football Geoff Walsh explained how the injury occurred on SEN on Tuesday evening.