One of the AFL’s most sought-after out of contract players, key forward Ben King, is off the trade table after re-committing to stay with the Gold Coast.
King has signed a new two-year deal to remain with the Suns and staved off interest from Victorian clubs trying to lure the athletic tall back home to Melbourne. St Kilda, where his twin brother Max plays, have long spoken of a desire to unite the brothers at Moorabbin.
Collingwood and Sydney also remain in the market for quality key forwards after both made pitches for high-flying Bulldogs key forward Aaron Naughton.
Gold Coast’s Ben King has signed a two-year contract extension.Credit: AFL Photos
The Suns confirmed the re-signing to this masthead.
Both the Suns’ list boss, and King’s manager Robbie D’Orazio were comfortable with the two-year deal, despite a trend for emerging players to commit to long-term contracts. King will be eligible for free agency when next out of contract at the end of 2026.
Given the heat in the market for key forwards, the decision by the 23-year-old King to re-sign will intensify interest in emerging Western Bulldogs star forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who is out of contract at season’s end.
Naughton was also due to be out of contract at the end of this season, but the 24-year-old signed an eight-year extension on an average of about a million dollars a year at the end of last season, taking him through until the end of 2032.
And now there is one. After Todd Marshall, Aaron Naughton and now Ben King have re-signed only Jamarra Ugle-Hagan remains out of contract of the big four key forwards who were due to come out of contract at year’s end.Credit: AFL Photos, Getty Images
King, Naughton, Ugle-Hagan and Port’s Todd Marshall were the four hotly sought-after big key forwards due to come out of contract at the end of this year. Marshall signed a new five-year deal earlier this month, meaning of the quartet only Ugle-Hagan has yet to sign an extension.