Steven May

Steven May was born in Darwin into a family of Indigenous Australian descent (Gunbalanya and Larrakia).^[1][2]

May began playing his junior football at Southern Districts Football Club, competing in the Northern Territory Football League. His performances for Southern Districts earned him a scholarship at the AIS in 2008. Later in 2008 he moved to Melbourne to complete his final years of schooling at Melbourne Grammar. A highlight of his while at Melbourne Grammar, was kicking 9 goals against Scotch College. While competing for the Northern Territory at the 2010 AFL Under 18 Championships, he was named at full forward in the under 18 All-Australian team. Following his efforts at the National Championships, the newly formed Gold Coast Football Club signed him as one of their two priority zone selections from the Northern Territory. May would finish the 2010 season for Melbourne Grammar in the Associated Public Schools of Victoria competition with 40 goals from eight games, as well as the best and fairest award. Following graduation, he relocated to the Gold Coast at the end of 2010 to begin his AFL career.

May made his AFL debut against Essendon^[3] in round 6 of the 2011 season, playing as a defender. May played nine games in 2011, playing the majority of the time in defence. In 2012, May was again used in defence for the best part of the 2012 AFL season until round 21 against Hawthorn where he had a breakout game, being moved forward for the game. In the game, he kicked 3 goals, took 12 marks in an impressive display up forward for the Suns.

In a 2014 match against the Sydney Swans, May manned-up on two-time Coleman Medallist Lance Franklin, and did it well, limiting him to only three goals.^[4] On 16 April 2016, May knocked out Stefan Martin after leaving his feet to deliver a full-body hit after the ball had gone past the two players.^[5] As a result, May was suspended for five matches.^[6]

May was named a co-captain of the Gold Coast Football Club in December 2016, making him just the sixth indigenous captain in VFL/AFL history.^[7]

On 24 May 2017, it was announced that he would wear number 67 on his AFL guernsey, rather than his usual 17, for the round 10 Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round game against Melbourne. This was to commemorate the 1967 referendum which allowed Indigenous Australians to be counted with the general population in the census.^[8]

During the 2018 AFL trade period, May was traded to Melbourne. Early in his first year at Melbourne, May was impacted by injuries and poor form. However, ever since, his impact and contribution to the Melbourne backline has been outstanding alongside Jake Lever and Adam Tomlinson . By round 7 in 2021, May was averaging 20.2 disposals per match, 16.7 kicks and 6.8 marks. Melbourne remained undefeated and on top of the ladder at that time conceding the fewest points (434) of any team by that point of the season.

May won his first AFL Premiership with Melbourne in the 2021 AFL Grand Final, after Melbourne defeated the Western Bulldogs, despite having playing a serious hamstring injury.^[9][10]

In June 2022, May was suspended for one match following a public altercation with teammate Jake Melksham and also drinking alcohol while under the concussion protocols.^[11][12] Sources at Melbourne commented that the drunken scuffle was the result of Melksham's comments on May's drinking habit.^[13][14]

Updated to the end of 2024.^[15]

Notes

Team

• AFL premiership player (Melbourne): 2021
• McClelland Trophy (Melbourne): 2021

Individual

• 2× All-Australian team: 2021, 2022
• Ron Barassi Snr Memorial Trophy (Melbourne B&F Third Place): 2022
• Sid Anderson Memorial Trophy (Melbourne B&F Runner-Up): 2020
• Gold Coast captain: 2017–2018
• 22under22 team: 2014
• Indigenous All-Stars team: 2013