Melbourne recruit Steven May has avoided a club sanction for drinking while injured with the AFL club revealing the key defender is dealing with some “personal issues”. Sidelined with a groin injury since round two, May was seen spending Sunday afternoon drinking at a Melbourne bar.
The former Gold Coast skipper fronted his teammates on Tuesday morning to explain his actions. Demons head of football Josh Mahoney said May shared with them “personal issues” and the frustration of his groin injury, which led to the consumption of alcohol.
“Steven May has been dealing with some personal issues for a period of time now … he made a poor decision on the weekend to go to a pub,” Mahoney said. “It’s not a good look for him and not in line with what we’re trying to set and the standards we’re trying to set as a footy club. He’s acknowledged that this is a poor decision that he’s made.”
May has faced heavy scrutiny since arriving at the Demons out of shape. He injured his hamstring during the pre-season, missed round one through suspension and then the groin injury. Mahoney said the 27-year-old key defender was frustrated by his inability to contribute to his new club, which managed just their second win for the season last round against Hawthorn.
“The one thing you want to do [coming to a new footy club] is be out there on the field and it’s been a frustrating start for him,” Mahoney said. “Some off-field personal issues have added to that – it can be a lonely place in rehab and sometimes those issues become bigger … we’ve got to support him through that. He’s probably getting smashed externally particularly around his character but we trust he’s a good character.”
Mahoney said Melbourne didn’t enforce a no-drinking policy, asking only of players to act like “adults”. Vice-captain Max Gawn earlier defended his teammate after AFL greats questioned his professionalism. Melbourne gave up their No 6 draft pick to secure May, who had been viewed as a crucial addition to bolster the team’s backline.
“Steven has trained his backside off – I’ve been really impressed with how he’s trained,” Gawn said on RSN927 on Tuesday morning. “He’s still brought a lot to the club because he’s played more than 100 games and he’s captained a football club, so he’s been an ear I’ve been leaning on and I’m sure when he gets back he’ll be playing some pretty good footy.”
Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy told Fox Footy’s On the Couch on Monday night he was disappointed in May. “He’s had a troubled start at the Demons and to be caught out or even to just do it behind closed doors, to me, suggests the bloke hasn’t learned his lessons,” Healy said.
Former Demons coach Paul Roos also turned up the pressure on the recruit. “I don’t know what he’s going through but what I do know is footy isn’t a priority for him,” Roos said. “It’s clearly not a priority … because he wouldn’t be doing that.”