Melbourne has suspended star defender Steven May over an altercation with teammate Jake Melksham on Sunday night.
The incident occurred just after 9pm in Prahran, an inner-city suburb of Melbourne.
“Following a dinner on Sunday evening, Jake and Steven informed us of a scuffle that took place after a light-hearted disagreement between the pair escalated,” the club said in a statement.
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“Both Jake and Steven had been drinking at dinner and are incredibly remorseful that things played out the way they did.
“Given Steven is still under the AFL concussion protocols from round 11, he was aware that under club guidelines he should not have been drinking.”
The Demons are currently on top of the ladder despite losing their last two matches.
“The leadership group has recommended to impose a one-match ban on Steven, a decision which has been endorsed by the club’s broader leadership. This will make him unavailable for both AFL and VFL selection,” the club said.
“Steven and Jake will also complete community service through one of the club’s community partners to ensure they understand the responsibility and impact they have as role models within the community.
“Over the past three years, Steven has developed into one of our most important on-field leaders, and while the impact of not having him available for selection is significant, what is more significant to us is our culture and the commitment we have to live by our values.”
May joined the Demons from the Suns in 2019, and was named in the All-Australian team in 2021.
“Steven is extremely remorseful and accepts his actions were completely out of step with the expectations the club and his teammates have of him. He accepts the sanction handed down and makes no excuse for his poor judgement,” the Demons said.
“We are proud of the culture we have built over the past few years and while we are disappointed with Steven’s behaviour, we back in his character and will support him to ensure he is armed to make better decisions for himself and the football club moving forward.”
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