Max King has had good reason for feeling below his best over the past six weeks and it is not just Canterbury’s worrying late-season form that has left the front-rower under the weather.
King has been living with a mould infestation at home that he is glad to have finally eradicated in the lead-up to Friday’s qualification final at Melbourne.
The 28-year-old said he felt as if he had been hit with a six-week bout of flu, with the mould infestation also impacting his wife, Christy, who is six months pregnant with their second child, and son, Hercules.
As if preparing for the challenge of a wounded Melbourne was not enough, King has spent the lead-up to this weekend’s finals clash packing up his life and moving into a new place.
“It was going on for six or seven weeks. I was sick, my missus was sick and my son’s been sick,” King told AAP. “It was relentless and it wasn’t getting any better.
“Someone suggested mould and when I read into it, I knew that’s what it was.
“My symptoms were flu-like, coughing, sweats, going hot and cold, just feeling crook.
“We had a bit of mould in the tiles and with all this rain we’ve had in Sydney, we’d also had a bit of leakage in the roof.
“We moved out and the next morning, we felt better. We had removalists the other day and it’s a busy time, so the club has been great at helping us out.”
With his home life on the up, King’s attention now turns to the Bulldogs’ form.
Canterbury began 2025 as red-hot favourites to claim the minor premiership but have limped into the finals in third spot and with just two wins from their past six outings.
They are expected to be undermanned against the Storm, with Bronson Xerri (concussion) sidelined and concerns over the fitness of starting wing duo Marcelo Montoya and Jacob Kiraz.
Montoya was spotted on crutches at Belmore on Monday, while Kiraz was still in a moon boot.
The Bulldogs can take solace from their most recent outing against Melbourne, when, if not for the errant goal kicking of Stephen Crichton, Canterbury could well have won.
“I thought that Melbourne played well and for us, we probably missed a few opportunities out there,” King said.
“We probably need to take more advantage of opportunities and the Storm give you nothing. They’re a hard team to score against.
“When you get a chance in a game against them, you really have to ice it.”
AAP
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