AFL Star **Steven May** Suspended Three Games for Collision
Defender’s Rough Conduct Charge Upheld by Tribunal
Melbourne defender Steven May will sit out the next three AFL matches after the league Tribunal on Wednesday night dismissed his appeal for a rough conduct charge. The incident involved a high-speed, front-on collision with Carlton’s Francis Evans last week, which left Evans concussed and with significant facial injuries.
Tribunal’s Decision Amidst Player Defence
The AFL Match Review Officer had assessed the collision as careless conduct with severe impact and high contact, leading to a proposed three-match ban. **May**, however, pleaded not guilty, asserting he believed he would reach the ball before **Evans**. During the hearing, **May**’s representative, **Adrian Anderson**, questioned **May** about his reaction, to which **May** responded, “Just can’t believe I didn’t take possession. I thought I did everything right, so I’m just a bit shocked.”
Melbourne’s defence drew parallels to **Alex Pearce**’s successful challenge of a similar suspension earlier this year. The Fremantle captain was cleared of rough conduct following an aerial contest. However, the tribunal noted differences, stating **Pearce**’s incident was an aerial clash, while **May**’s was a more direct, front-on collision.
Precedents and Contested Actions
The tribunal also considered the case of North Melbourne’s **Jackson Archer** in March, where the defender was found to have “slowed too little and too late”
. **Anderson** argued that **May**’s situation was distinct, as he genuinely anticipated reaching the ball first.
AFL barrister **Andrew Woods** conceded that such situations are “not easy things for a player to assess”
and acknowledged the contact was not a deliberate bump. Nevertheless, **Woods** contended that **May** failed to take reasonable action to avoid the collision, stating, “Mr May’s conduct was a breach of a duty of care that he owed Evans.”
Suspension Reflects League’s Stance on Head Contact
**Anderson** countered that **May** lacked sufficient time to alter his momentum, describing his efforts to contest the ball as “entirely realistic”
. He further argued that **May** did not deviate from his line and showed attempts to decelerate, even if belatedly.
After deliberating for over 90 minutes, the tribunal imposed the three-game suspension, underscoring the league’s intensified crackdown on dangerous head contact in the sport. The tribunal concluded that **May** ought to have recognized that **Evans** would reach the ball first. Tribunal chairman **Jeff Gleeson** stated, “He [May] ran through Evans at high speed.”
He added, “We found that May engaged in rough conduct that was unreasonable in the circumstances.”
Ironically, **May** himself sustained a concussion during the same match when **Tom De Koning** accidentally kneed him in the head. This prior injury meant **May** was already slated to miss Sunday’s game against St Kilda, making the tribunal’s decision affect his availability for two additional fixtures.
