Ben King

Under the Queensland sun, in a forward line that has become his personal stage, Ben King has grown into one of the most dangerous key forwards in Australian football. The comparisons to the great full-forwards of eras past are no longer premature — they are warranted. King’s marking ability is exceptional, his athleticism a gift that allows him to compete both aerially and at ground level, and his goal sense the kind that separates the prolific from the merely competent. He has become the player opposition teams specifically game-plan to stop, which is perhaps the greatest compliment a forward can receive.

Career Statistics

Player Profile

In 105 games and 170 goals, King has built a record that places him on a trajectory few forwards can match. His ability to create scoring opportunities, both for himself and for the small forwards who orbit his presence, makes him the centrepiece of Gold Coast’s attack. At twenty-four, with Petracca now feeding the ball forward to him, King enters 2026 as the focal point of a Suns team that finally possesses the midfield firepower to match his forward-line brilliance.

EC — Senior features writer, australiafootball.com