Steven May suspension would be 'unrealistic', claims AFL legend

Kieran Francis

Steven May suspension would be 'unrealistic', claims AFL legend image

Steven May is facing the AFL Tribunal for an incident that was 'unrealistic' to avoid, according to St Kilda icon Nick Riewoldt.

The Melbourne defender has been asked to front the competition judiciary on Tuesday night after an incident that saw Carlton's Francis Evans suffer a concussion.

With the ball in dispute, May's shoulder made contact with Evans' head after the Blues utility got to the ball just before the Demons star.

Evans left the field of play immediately and didn't return after failing a head injury assessment (HIA) from doctors.

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Riewoldt believes it's 'unrealistic' for AFL players to make split-second judgements when going for the football, suggesting that he feels May would be unlucky to cop a suspension.

"If he does get rubbed out then essentially what we're saying is – he doesn't bump, he doesn't tuck, he doesn't brace – so we're saying that players have to be able to calculate from 20 metres away the speed the other player is going, the speed you're going, and the fact you're going to arrive a micro-second late," Riewoldt said on Triple M's Mick in the Morning.

"We're asking players to calculate that from 20 metres away, it's unrealistic."

On the same program, Melbourne captain Max Gawn was diplomatic about May's Tribunal visit, but stated that he thought the final result of the case would be 'interesting' and would set a 'precedent'.

"It's a tough one because he didn't bump. I understand you've got to look after the head, but it's going to be an interesting tribunal case," Gawn said.

"That's why I'm going to tune in tonight because I'm interested to know what it is. May is never going to take a backwards step for that ball, so he's just going to get sent to the tribunal by the looks of things. Whatever happens tonight will be the precedent."

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.