In just his second season at the Club, Storm forward Josh King has quickly become a mainstay in the forward pack but the opportunity to pull on the purple jersey isn’t something he’ll be taking for granted any time soon.
Arriving from the Newcastle Knights ahead of the 2022 season, King hasn’t missed a single game and has become an ultra-consistent performer through the middle of the field, averaging 116 running metres this season.
Speaking with media ahead of their Round 21 clash with the Newcastle Knights, King said while he has already exceeded the expectations he set for himself when he first arrived at the club, he has no plans on slowing down anytime soon.
“It's funny what happens when you know a bit of hard work, how far that can get you, so I'm really relishing the opportunity to be here and I'm very grateful to be able to come down here and play with all the boys,” King said.
“For me it's just about trying to get the best out of myself and what I try to do every week and that’s what I’m striving to do now,” he said.
Having made 78 appearances for the Knights between 2016-2021, King has transformed his game since arriving in Melbourne, quickly establishing himself as one of the Clubs premier forwards and playing 42 games straight.
“When I first arrived from the Knights I had a goal to play 3-5 NRL games, that was a realistic goal and I didn’t even know if I would get that as they had some really quality middle forwards," he said.
“I was hoping if I got 5 games then that would be a successful year and then build on that this year but I never thought I would work my way into the starting side and be a week in week out player,” he said.
"To come down here to one of the best teams in the comp and to have played that many games, I still pinch myself now,” he said.
Having played alongside the likes of Jesse Bromwich in his first season at the club, King said the confidence he gained from his teammates and coaching staff have helped mould him into the player he is today.
“The belief I got from Craig and the players I had around me last year gave me a lot of confidence within so I can keep growing my game every week, it’s a great feeling and I'm really enjoying my time down here,” he said.
“When someone like Craig Bellamy taps you on the shoulder and says I want you play starting 13 then that drove me a bit more because if he believes in me then I should believe in myself.”
You can catch Josh King in action when Storm take on the Newcastle Knights on Saturday evening.
