King out to prove his worth at the Storm

THERE was a familiar face in unfamiliar colours at Cbus Super Stadium on Sunday that the Titans could well be seeing more of in direct opposition soon.

Workhorse forward Max King travelled north with the NRL ladder-leading Melbourne Storm squad that defeated Gold Coast 38-18.

He missed the cut for the top 17, leaving him still waiting for his club debut since leaving the Titans just before the June 30 transfer deadline, but he is quietly making real progress in the Victorian capital.

The 22-year-old, who played 38 games for the Titans, has impressed Melbourne mastercoach Craig Bellamy.

“I met him just as we signed … and I was more keen to sign him after meeting him because he is a terrific young kid and I could just tell that he’s a hard worker and he wants to be successful,” Bellamy said.

“There’s a few things that we do a little bit differently, like I suppose all teams do, but he is trying to buy into that and we are really impressed by the way he has been training and we’ve been impressed by the way he has played with Easts in a couple of (ISC) games.

“So I’m pretty sure by the end of the year he’ll get an opportunity.”

That could see him take on his former teammates before the year is out, with the Titans due to play at AAMI Park in Round 23 on August 25.

While he has settled in well, Bellamy noted it was difficult to expect King to slot in midway through the season and expects his main impact will come from 2020.