Melbourne and Richmond stand by players allegedly involved in Sorrento pub brawl

Melbourne and Richmond are standing by Steven May and Dion Prestia after new details emerged about the pair’s alleged involvement in a brawl that left a man with a broken eye socket.

Melbourne and Richmond are standing by Steven May and Dion Prestia after they were allegedly involved in a brawl at a Sorrento pub.

Melbourne and Richmond are standing by two players allegedly involved in a brawl on the Mornington Peninsula which left a man with a broken eye socket.

The Herald Sun last month revealed Demons star Steven May and Richmond veteran Dion Prestia were allegedly involved in the skirmish outside the Continental Hotel at Sorrento on December 27.

The pair of premiership stars had been enjoying a bucks’ party at Hotel Sorrento earlier in the night before two groups of men converged outside the second venue about 2am.

Both the Demons and Tigers have insisted their respective players were not physically involved in the brawl, which left a young electrician requiring surgery to his face.

In his statement made to police on January 14, Rye man Will Salter, 22, claims to have suffered a broken eye socket, fractured nose and detached retina during the blue.

Melbourne is standing by Steven May. Picture: Michael Willson

He accused May of punching his mate “to the face” after yelling “come on, let’s go”, detailing that Prestia was also involved in the fracas in the early hours of the morning.

Victoria Police on Tuesday said the official statement to detectives at Rosebud had been made.

“It is understood a physical altercation occurred between two groups of men on Point Nepean Road about 2am,” police said in a statement.

“Two men were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

“An official report has now been made to police and investigations into the circumstances of the incident remain ongoing.”

Prestia on Tuesday told a television news reporter to “f--k off … there’s kids around” when asked about the Sorrento brawl at a community camp in Albury.

He was pictured waving a local newspaper photographer away and is said to have covered his face as he was driven away at the conclusion of the session.

Prestia was not keen to talk to the media on Tuesday. Picture: Will Russell

Melbourne provided a statement on Tuesday, saying “It is the role of police to check the veracity of any complaint, and we will assist where required.”

A Richmond spokesperson said the club stood by its original statement in December, which read: “Prestia saw it happening but in no way was he involved. They weren’t involved in any physical altercation.”

It is understood the dispute was sparked at Hotel Sorrento earlier in the evening where the pair of premiership players were attending a bucks’ party.

Mr Salter and his group of mates had been enjoying dinner at the same venue, before they became involved in conversation with the footballers.

The players were allegedly involved in the skirmish outside the Continental Hotel at Sorrento.

Both groups shifted to the Continental Hotel about 11pm.

May and Prestia were understood to be part of the larger group of about 10 which met with the smaller group on Point Nepean Rd in the early hours of the morning.

May and Prestia are former Gold Coast Suns teammates who spent six years together at the expansion club from 2011 to 2016.

Both have played more than 200 AFL games and have won premierships with their current clubs.

May was on Monday named as part of the Indigenous All-Stars squad, which is set to play an exhibition match against Fremantle at Optus Stadium on February 15.