Its been a big 48-hours of news for two former-SMJFL stars in the red black and white.
Both Max King (East Sandringham JFC) and Liv Vesely (East Malvern JFC) have reached admirable milestones in their careers.
On Tuesday it was announced King had received his first NAB Rising Star nomination after his valiant efforts against Essendon in Round 12 of the AFL.
King snared three goals for the Saints in their triumphant outing, with his aerial ability and agility catching the eyes of footy fans alike.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by St Kilda Football Club (@stkildafc) on Aug 18, 2020 at 1:01am PDT
King was picked at No.4 in the national AFL draft in 2018, with an ankle injury holding off his debut while he recovered.
Though, it seems that it was well worth the wait, with King regularly featuring in score involvements as well as grabbing some goals of his own after his Round 1 debut this season.
At 20 years old and 202 cm high, we can’t wait to see what the future has in hold for this young gun.
On Wednesday it was then announced that Olivia Vesely had signed her first contract with the Saints, signing on for two more seasons.
Vesely joined the Saints’ inaugural AFLW team as an open-age recruit in August 2019. Just one year later, after a superb first season, Vesely has found herself a home with the Saints for two more years.
The 20-year-old is widely known for her effervescent personality and infectious smile.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by St Kilda Women’s (@stkildafcw) on Aug 18, 2020 at 7:54pm PDT
Not only is Vesely always in high spirits, but she has proven to be a ferocious player, with her determination also earning her a Rising Star nomination in Round 5 of the 2020 AFLW season.
Vesely had an impressive first season, averaging 15 disposals, four tackles and two marks per outing.
Vesely began her footy career with East Malvern in the U10s, before briefly transferring to Glen Iris.
The star then returned to the SMJFL, registering in the SMJFL Umpire Academy in 2015 where she umpired 11 field umpire matches.
Both Max and Olivia are great examples of skill, passion and drive. Congratulations to both players from the SMJFL.
