Meet Olivia May, the partner of 2021 Brownlow Medallist, Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines

Ollie Wines says she’s been a key to his Brownlow Medal triumph, but Olivia May prefers life out of the AFL spotlight. Meet the woman behind the Port Adelaide superstar.

She might be the secret behind Ollie Wines’ Brownlow Medal triumph, but his girlfriend Olivia May prefers life out of the AFL spotlight.

The interior stylist almost stole the show on Sunday night, dazzling on the red carpet in a glamorous retro-style white dress, before lovingly congratulating her Port Adelaide beau after he romped to a famous victory.

Wines made special mention of May in his acceptance speech, admitting she’s “probably the reason for my success this year”.

Close friends of publicity-shy May agree the 23-year-old Adelaide girl — who’s been dating Wines for about a year — has been a calming influence on the Echuca-born footballer.

Ollie Wines and partner Olivia May arrive ahead of the 2021 AFL Brownlow Medal. (Photo by Stefan Gosatti/Getty Images)

Ollie Wines embraces partner Olivia May during the 2021 Brownlow Medal Count at Optus Stadium. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images).

Joanne Bennett, owner and director of Homestyle Co, where May works as a stylist, said Wines’ girlfriend had not told her she was going to the Brownlow Medal count in Perth.

“Last week she said to me, ‘Is it OK if I have next Monday off?’ Ms Bennett said.

“And I went, ‘Yeah, of course’. I didn’t put two and two together.

“There was no mention that ‘I am going to the Brownlow’.

“She’s very nurturing and caring, very gentle. I think you saw that last night on TV, she certainly wouldn’t put herself out there for publicity, that’s for sure.”

From a family of Power supporters, May’s mother is Jane Jeffreys, a former SA Tourism Commission chair, who in 2009 was the first woman appointed to the Port Adelaide board.

Ms Bennett said the unassuming May, who went to St Peter’s Girls’ School, was a great match for Wines.

Olivia May, partner of Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines on the Brownlow Medal red carpet. Picture: Michael Klein

“She’s very, very down-to-earth, hard working … she’s a straight-shooter, loyal and she doesn’t get caught up in all the drama that goes on around her,” she said.

“She’d be a grounding influence on Ollie. She’s very much a homebody. He being from the country and not having any family here, I can see she would offer that stability that maybe he doesn’t have here.”

May is a talented sportswoman herself, and has won premierships with Adelaide Hockey Club.

Another close acquaintance of May described her as a “beautiful friend” and said she and Wines were “incredibly happy” together.

The Port Adelaide midfield dynamo started the season as an $81 longshot but claimed the game’s top individual honour with 36 votes, pipping Western Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli (33) and Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver (31), in a thrilling count.

His 36 votes equalled Richmond’s Dustin Martin’s 2017 record for the most votes in a year.

Originally published as Meet Olivia May, the partner of 2021 Brownlow Medallist, Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines