Steven May to face MRO heat as Carlton snaps losing streak with gritty win over Melbourne

The AFL match review panel has made its call on Steven May after his brutal collision with Francis Evans, despite the Dees defender adamant he had no other option.

Steven May will have to run the gauntlet of a tribunal decision to clear his name after his collision with Carlton’s Francis Evans but is only at risk of a three week ban.

May was on Sunday charged by the match review panel and sent directly to the tribunal for a hit that concussed Evans, broke his nose and loosened a tooth.

The charge was categorised as careless and with severe impact, with cases of that nature usually given a three-week ban or sent to the tribunal for a four-plus week sanction.

Steven May collects Francis Evans

But given the unique circumstances of the case it is understood the AFL will only ask for a three-week ban if the charge is upheld on Tuesday night.

It was an impossibly hard decision for MRO boss Michael Christian given May would argue he was contesting the ball.

So the AFL has agreed it is a case that should be tested in front of the tribunal but does not risk a four-week ban.

May would likely tell the tribunal he was going for the loose ball, was only a split second late, did not divert off his line and did not turn sideways to bump.

His only other option was to stop short and then tackle Evans after conceding he could not get to the ball first.

But while May’s hands were cupped as he tried to secure the ball he was clearly second to the contest and the MRO decided in the end he did not reasonably contest the ball.

He also turned his shoulder slightly to brace for the contact.

The AFL has already flagged changes to the MRO rules that would allow Christian to judge the hit reportable but hand May only a one or two-week suspension.

So next year under a similar hit May, who was later concussed in a marking incident, would receive a penalty that was much more in line with his levels of guilt.

If he is suspended he would miss matches against St Kilda, West Coast and the Western Bulldogs and potentially more.

Evans was subbed out of the game after the incident. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Carlton coach Michael Voss conceded he wasn’t sure what to think about the incident.

“It’s a tough one, clearly it’s going to get looked at (but) both players were in line with the ball and seemed to be attacking it, if I’m being brutally honest,” Voss said.

“Both maybe making a play at the ball, maybe one person was one step late which obviously then the incident happens.”

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said May came off the ground insisting he didn’t “have any other option” in the collision.

“Steve’s whole intent was to get the ball, clearly, if you slow it down his whole intent was to win the ball,” he said.

“It’s unfortunate you get a concussion in the game and sometimes you can be concussed without being reported.

“You just look at his pure intent, it was purely for the ball and in the end similar to Steven, he’s walked away with a concussion himself late in the game in a marking contest.

“He had to come off for the blood rule and just said, ‘I didn’t have any other option, I was going for the ball’.

“That was his comment as he came to the bench, he was as surprised as anyone.”

GOODWIN SLAMS DEES’ ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ START

A “frustrated and angry” Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin had a clear message to his players following the loss to Carlton on Saturday night.

The Demons were slow out of the blocks, allowing the desperate Blues to gain momentum and kick out to a 19-point halftime lead.

Melbourne forced its way back into the game but ultimately chased the Blues’ tail all night.

Goodwin was open about his review of the result post game, saying his players suffered the consequences of a poor start.

“I thought our start was way off,” Goodwin said after the eight-point loss.

“If you take the result away from it, you’re looking to build unconditional behaviours and unconditional in the way you play.

“When you start like that, probably the second time in four weeks, where we’re a fair way off from role execution and intensity of the game.

“Incredibly frustrating and angry because that’s probably the part of the game that cost us the game.

“When you give a team a lead, that’s what happens, you suffer the consequences from an outcome perspective.

“(I’m) frustrated and angry, the reality is that that’s not acceptable.”

The Demons, now 13th after being jumped by the Blues, have shown passages of brilliant football in 2025.

Some of those were on full display again on Saturday, as Kysaiah Pickett booted five goals in a mesmerising performance.

But Goodwin said the slow start and then brilliant fightback was symbolic of the Demons’ inconsistent season.

Kysaiah Pickett was one of few Dees to fire. Picture: Michael Klein

“We’re in this to build something, we’re not wasting a game, a training session (or) a week to get better,” he said.

“Clearly when you watch the last three quarters you can see something but it’s got to be unconditional in how you start the game.

“That’s really been the story of a big part of our year; the inconsistency quarter to quarter, week to week – and that’s what we need to grow from, to learn from.

“It was the execution of our role, clearly, and the intent we have in the game … I think we had seven tackles in the first quartet to a team that’s pretty hungry.

“Credit to Carlton, they came out and started with the right intent and it cost us the game.”