AFL St Kilda v Melbourne practice match: Steven May expected to play against Bulldogs

After a clumsy hit on St Kilda’s Dan Butler in Friday night’s practice match, Melbourne star Steven May’s opening game fate has been revealed.

Ben Brown and Jacob van Rooyen celebrate a goal. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Melbourne key defender Steven May is expected to be free to play Western Bulldogs in the Round 1 blockbuster.

May was involved in a late hit on Saint Dan Butler on Friday night but the umpires and St Kilda are not expected to refer the incident for match officer review.

It is a huge boost to the Demons ahead of a match-up on Bulldogs’ key forward Aaron Naughton.

Incidents from last week’s practice matches had to be referred by the umpires or clubs to be cited for video scrutiny.

TECHNICALITY THAT COULD SEE DEES STAR ESCAPE BAN FOR HIT

Star Melbourne defender Steven May’s Round 1 availability could hinge on whether St Kilda or the umpires report his high hit on Dan Butler on Friday night.

May hit Butler high in a clumsy spoiling attempt, flooring the small forward with a late hit in the Demons’ big win over the Saints at Moorabbin.

But the unofficial practice matches from the weekend will not undergo the same level of match review scrutiny as the regular season matches.

In an AFL memo sent to clubs, the league said only clubs and umpires can refer an incident for match review panel review from the unofficial practice games last week.

Steven May’s high hit on Dan Butler. Picture: Michael Klein

The incident may not be reported. Picture: Michael Klein

The umpires and clubs will have that opportunity on Monday, meaning May faces a nervous few hours waiting to see if the high hit was referred for review.

It is a big decision for Melbourne and Western Bulldogs as May is one of the best defenders in the league and crucial to the Demons’ hopes of stopping star goal kickers Aaron Naughton, Rory Lobb, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Sam Darcy in the blockbuster Round 1 clash.

New Saint Zaine Cordy immediately fronted May about the Butler hit after the Saints small forward was knocked to the turf in the forward pocket.

Butler quickly got to his feet feeling his head after the hit and was uninjured in the incident.

It would attract a fine if it was graded as high contact, low impact and careless conduct, rather than intentional.

The contact was made in a marking contest near the boundary line.

The regular match review process where all games and incidents are scrutinised by Michael Christian will resume this weekend for the official practice games.

The matches across last week were unofficial practice matches where clubs were able to determine the length of games and number of players used.

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Lachie Hunter has flown under the radar this summer but he made a statement on Friday night, sparkling on debut.

The clever ball user shone on a wing with his hard run and precise kicking and will add another gun cog to the superstar midfield group.

The Demons picked up the former Western Bulldog in the trade period for a future third-round draft choice, a bargain price for the premiership star.

Hunter has had some issues off the field but Melbourne is confident he has settled well and was among Melbourne’s best players over the first three periods.

In particular, his delivery by foot and evasive sidestep were highlights.

Lachie Hunter starred on debut. Picture: Michael Klein

NERVOUS MAY

Star Melbourne defender Steve May will have a sleepless night waiting for the match review panel’s verdict of a second-quarter hit on Dan Butler.

May was late making high contact to Butler’s head in a marking contest near the boundary line 30m out from goal.

Reading lips, Zaine Cordy came straight over to May to tell him he had just cost himself a guernsey in the season-opener against Western Bulldogs.

But Butler bounced straight up and in any case the impact would likely be graded low, resulting in a fine.

Impressive long-range finish from Marcus Windhager 🎯 pic.twitter.com/puaiw80OPf

— AFL (@AFL) February 24, 2023

MIDFIELD MAESTROS

We have talked for months about Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn but Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca were the ones who dominated on Friday night.

Oliver was best on ground and will surely challenge for the Brownlow Medal if his scintillating displays continue despite pre-season surgery.

Petracca snagged three goals including a gem from 50m in the fourth period and setup others.

Ben Brown may have also booked his Round 1 spot ahead of Jacob Van Rooyen after an encouraging performance at full forward snagging two goals.

Interestingly, the Demons were more direct and central on their last kick inside 50m, in a bid to help improve their potency and scoring power in the forward half.

Clayton Oliver was best on ground. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Melbourne’s forward connection cost it last year as the team often went wide into the pocket, but Simon Goodwin appears to have told his troops to attack the goal square.

It played to their strengths and Brown and Tom McDonald fired as the starting key forwards, seemingly sealing spots against Western Bulldogs in the season-opener.

Max Gawn started in the centre bounce ahead of Grundy who came in off the bench and the pair worked well swapping into the forward line.

The pair were a handful for the Saints who found it hard to kick the ball past them when they went long down the line.

Neither team wanted to switch the ball and instead played wide where possible.

Excitement machine Kysaiah Pickett looked threatening onball and made a dashing run up the wing at one stage, after playing forward last year.

Distance is no issue for Christian Petracca 😯 pic.twitter.com/Z9ESzdg3ch

— AFL (@AFL) February 24, 2023

MAKESHIFT FORWARDS

Where are the goals going to come from?

It is the worry early for the Saints who turned to Zaine Cordy and Dougal Howard as the Max King replacements as part of a smaller forward structure on Friday.

By midway through the third term, the Saints had managed just two goals as Melbourne’s superstar midfielders took complete control of this contest.

Clearly, Cordy and Howard’s job is just to bring it to ground for the small forwards to try and feed off, but it is a C-Grade attack.

Mitch Owens took a nice grab in the second term and Butler had some zip, but Ross Lyon will have a massive challenge on his hands trying to fashion a score while King and Jack Hayes are out.

Top draft pick Mattaes Phillipou kicked a nice long goal from 50m in the third term and kicked his second after a strong mark in the fourth, showing why the Saints have been so impressed with him over summer.

He is on track for a Round 1 game and could have nailed his third goal in the fourth period.

Tim Membrey is touch and go for Round 1 as he works back from knee surgery.

Jack Steele and Jade Gresham were prominent in the middle for St Kilda, Mason Wood had some moments on the wing, and Ryan Byrnes put his hand up for Round 1 with his strong attack on the ball.

Brad Hill played wing and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera shows promise as the go-to man off half back.

Originally published as AFL St Kilda v Melbourne practice match: Steven May expected to play against Bulldogs