AFL MRO news: Steven May cops fine for staging against North Melbourne

Melbourne defender Steven May has learnt his fate after being cited for “excessive exaggeration of contact in an unsportsmanlike manner”. JAY CLARK has the details on what it means for the Demon.

Steven May. Picture: Getty Images

Melbourne’s Steven May was hit with an $1875 fine for staging when he threw his own head into the ground in an embarrassing bid to draw a free kick on Saturday night.

The AFL on Sunday fined the gun defender the maximum amount under its match review rules for “excessive exaggeration of contact in an unsportsmanlike manner”.

It comes as the Demons hope to welcome back defender Jake Lever for the tough clash against the in-form Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Friday night off a short six-day break for Simon Goodwin’s men.

And gun onballer Clayton Oliver (14 disposals) and goal kicker Bayley Fritsch (six touches) will remain in the spotlight after the pair had another quiet performance in the three-point win over the Kangaroos.

Steven May is set to cop a fine for staging. Picture: Michael Klein

The May fine is a warning to the rest of the competition not to accentuate head high contact in dangerous tackles in an attempt to milk free kicks.

The football world was shocked to see the stopper lean his own head into the ground and then grab the top of his skull in an Eddie Ford tackle in Melbourne’s narrow win.

It was a terrible look for the premiership defender and two-time All-Australian considering the efforts being made to protect players’ heads and the stories of suffering in the game’s concussion crisis.

The league is expected to make clear that behaviour will not be tolerated when one of the game’s senior officials speaks on Monday. May can accept a $1250 sanction (down from $1875) with an early guilty plea.

May was paid a free kick by the umpire for a dangerous tackle as North Melbourne produced its third-straight encouraging and spirited performance.

Channel 7 special commentator Campbell Brown, who played for Hawthorn and Gold Coast, said it was a deliberate attempt to win a free kick from May.

“Notice the way players are now going down holding their heads as well when his head did not hit the ground to try and milk the free kick,” Brown said on the broadcast.

Former Melbourne captain Nathan Jones also queried the incident.

“It is not a free kick for mine,” Jones said.

“I feel like his shoulder and elbow hit the ground first.”

Staging is a rare offence in the AFL with only a couple of incidents assessed on average each year.

But St Kilda great Leigh Montagna said he had some sympathy for May, who was one of the club’s best players on Saturday night gathering 18 touches and eight marks.

“Yes he milked it and played for a free kick and he’ll get fined and that is OK … but I do not think it is a hanging offence,” Montagna said on Triple M.

“Players have been trying to milk free kicks off the umpires for 100 years.

“I’m not going be one that is going to make out that I am outraged by it and it is the most horrible thing I have ever seen on a footy field.

“Every player has tried to play for a free kick to some level.”

Originally published as AFL MRO news: Steven May cops fine for staging against North Melbourne