David King pinpoints the ‘unforgivable’ play that should see St Kilda’s Jack Higgins dropped

Fox Sports AFL analyst and two-time North Melbourne premiership player David King has called for St Kilda’s Jack Higgins to be axed after an inexcusable passage of play in his side’s 17-point loss to Collingwood in round one.

The Saints were comprehensively outplayed for most of the match until debutant and cult hero Jack Hayes launched a third-quarter comeback that ultimately fell short. 

King said key St Kilda players were guilty of being out of position in key moments and tipped the acid on Higgins for one passage of play in particular.

‘I just still think there’s so many times where their best players finish forward of the ball, King said.

‘They can work harder than this. Higgins has had a good night but what’s a good night? He had four shots at goal and kicked four points, but what he gives up the other way is really disrespectful to his teammates.’

King drew attention to a crucial moment in the match where Higgins did not pass to an open Jade Gresham as a leading example proving his point. 

‘This for me is a droppable offence,’ King declared.

‘I think a player of his quality knows Gresham is there and he chose not to use him. I think that’s unforgivable, personally.’

Higgins gets a kick away in the loss to Collingwood. He had a difficult night, missing all four shots at goal.

Higgins had a mixed bag in the loss, finishing with 17 disposals but missing all four of his goal attempts. That comes after he was branded ‘Missy Higgins’ in reference to the famous Australian musician after he could only kick 1.6 – including missing the potential match-winner – in a tight loss to the Swans.

Fans took exception to the nickname and coach Brett Ratten defended the forward/midfielder at the time, saying: ‘I think post-game he was pretty shattered and I reminded him of what he did do well’.

Young St Kilda player Cooper Sharman impressed in 2021 and the pre-season and will be pressing for a chance to crack into the AFL side this season.

But with 21-year-old talent Cooper Sharman waiting in the wings, the pressure is on Higgins to perform or he could find himself replaced.

The ruck/forward swingman was impressive when he debuted late in the season for the Saints in 2021 and brought that form into the pre-season, although he was overlooked for a spot in the starting team against Collingwood. 

Meanwhile, Matthew Lloyd has lamented his beloved club’s 66-point loss to Geelong in its season-opener, which he called ‘bruise-free’.

Essendon came into the match as the bookmakers’ favourites with a number of senior Geelong players injured. However, in the first quarter, the Cats slammed in seven unanswered goals to two to virtually wrap up the game.

Essendon players have been left searching for answers after being belted by a depleted Geelong in round one of the AFL season

‘I’d be embarrassed about (the showing) if I was a senior player at Essendon,’ he told Nine’s AFL Sunday Footy Show.

‘I thought it was a bruise-free game of football. You don’t like saying that about any side, but that’s what the Bombers have to cop after yesterday.’