Collingwood needs Steven May to complete defence but Melbourne also in market for star Sun

COLLINGWOOD needs Gold Coast captain Steven May to round out their back six. But JON RALPH writes more than one player will determine the race for the Suns defender.

Steven May is more than an out-and-out stopper. Pic: Getty Images

AS the dust settles on a phenomenal Collingwood premiership charge that just came up short, there is a cold hard reality that cannot be ignored.

For all of Tyson Goldsack’s brave deeds and quick-fire comeback, the Pies desperately needed an intercept full back of Steven May’s quality.

Goldsack is one of football’s most popular figures, but he was forced to punch above his weight all finals long.

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In the qualifying final for all Goldsack’s early efforts Josh Kennedy had six second-half shots and two goals against him before the Pies key back dominated a disappointing Jeremy Cameron in a semi-final.

In the preliminary final Jack Riewoldt kicked five of Richmond’s eight goals before Kennedy kicked 3.2 from six shots in the Grand Final against Goldsack.

Tyson Goldsack had some big jobs in the finals. Pic: Getty Images

None of that diminishes Goldsack in any way.

But Collingwood will hope to recruit the Gold Coast captain to solidify their defence in the same way as Hawthorn brought in James Frawley, then watched him smash Kennedy in the 2015 Grand Final.

Darcy Moore might or might not be capable of that role, with the Pies and his management still haggling over a deal.

Ex-Melbourne forward David Schwarz is right in that May has never had incredible skinfold levels, with a relationship breakup this year also causing understandable issues behind the scenes.

But Champion Data’s statistics show he is so much more than a last-line stopper, the 26-year-old a modern-day defender.

In 2016 he was the third-best defender in the competition behind Alex Rance and ahead of Jeremy McGovern, losing just 14 of 71 one-on-ones for the entire year.

This season Gold Coast haemorrhaged inside 50s, giving up five more than the next-worst side.

He still found a way to contain most forwards apart from Josh Kennedy kicking four on him in Round 4 and Jack Riewoldt six on a day he shouldn’t have played because of those behind-the-scenes issues.

The offensive stuff is what elevates him above the dime-a-dozen stoppers.

This year he averaged 17.4 disposals (second-most for key defenders), 334 metres gained (second most for key defenders) as well 7.6 intercept possessions, three intercept marks and 6.8 spoils (all above average).

Put him into an good side with quality players around him and you have a weapon at full back.

Melbourne is clearly in the market for him, even though they also want some outside speed to compliment their inside bulls.

Steven May is more than a last-line stopper. Pic: AAP

Darcy Moore looms as a key piece of the Steven May puzzle. Pic: Michael Klein

They get Jake Lever back at some stage and improved their defensive mix late, but still were the fourth-easiest side to score against across the entire season.

Slot him in alongside Lever and Max Gawn becomes an offensive threat again instead of being forced to play as a seventh defender at times as well as a ruckman.

What no one has figured out yet is whether Collingwood can get Steven May without losing Darcy Moore, given their first-round pick will be at 18 and they have two top-25 draft options in Isaac Quaynor and Will Kelly.

But last year when Moore played 21 games he only won more than 10 possessions in nine of them, albeit playing as a forward who kicked 25 goals.

Moore’s position grows more intriguing by the week, but if May has been off Broadway playing for the AFL’s easybeat it is easy to see why there is a conga line of teams desperate for his services.

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