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God knows I’d like to imitate what May did with idiots who walk on the footpath while reading their iPhones and not watching where they’re going

I’ll repeat what other have said above : Cam Pederson - all class. Very nicely written letter.

To AFLHQ, WHO’S WITH ME?!

Well said, Cam Pedersen. Saw him numerous times chatting to fans in the stands before games or when not playing. He'll make a fine teacher.

From The Age report: '...Woods argued May's left foot rose above the ground and his right foot was on the brink of leaving the surface, which meant May had "significant momentum" when he collided with Berry'. I thought that lifting one's feet one after the other is how a person moves forward - it is called walking!! 'Significant momentum'? But what evidence was there to link it to 'medium' impact? It appears zilch! From The Fox Report: After Brisbane explained that Berry didn't play on because he had played enough minutes, not because he wasn't able, 'AFL counsel Andrew Woods argued that such evidence was irrelevant'. Honestly, I find it staggering that the only real evidence of impact ie no injury, no concussion is considered irrelevant! Where does that leave Christians' medium impact' case: 1. Player reaction: Berry fell backwards. 2. Medical report: which was was not damning at all - no injury, no concussion. 3. Did not return to play as he was not concussed and had played his minutes. So the only criteria left is 4. visual look of the incident. So May is out because it looked bad ie the optics. Woods virtually says as much: 'based on the footage alone, the impact "must be more than low"'. Its laughable that none of the objective criteria are fulfilled yet it is upheld. We can't win: one of our players goes down and it is called 'staging/diving', another team's player goes down and the visual looks so bad the impact must be medium. Not saying Berry staged it at all; just saying the optics is a very poor criteria for any suspension let alone deciding the impact.

We should be happy as we now know the true definition of medium impact, which is “ it could have been worse”.

Speaking of 50 metre penalties, the new rule is the invention of an idiot. The umpires boss one week before the season starts has admitted that the umpires don’t know exactly how to set the mark and the player penalised basically has to let the infringed player run away or play in without any pressure. I am struggling to think of a worse rule.

Re the " didnt return to the ground"accusation, it was at the 18 minute mark of the last quarter ffs. Meaning he spent 10 mins ( unconcussed) off the ground. There's decent grounds to argue right there. Glad this club has grown some teeth again.

I'm glad they're appealing the decision. I think we're a big chance of having it overturned.

Ryan Burton gets off for his hit on Shaun Higgins. Cosmetic surgery required, concussion Steven May gets one week, no concussion, player walks off, no surgery. Makes sense...

God AFL Is turning into a [censored] game to watch bring back the 90s

That Moloney decision was nothing short of a disgrace and the Tribunal simply made it up as they went along. It still sticks in my craw. Another shocker was the Jack Trengove throw on Dangerfield, who was allegedly destroyed in the incident, with Jack getting 4 weeks while Danger was miraculously resurrected to be best on the ground with 5 goals the next week.

You can see from this image May has stopped. He is not moving forward, ready to anticipate whether Berry is going to handball, or even bulk and take him on. Since Berry has chosen to handball all May has done from here is turn his shoulder bracing for impact. The side on view shows May falling back after contact indicating his body weight or momentum has stopped. If May was running or had momentum forward, then the outcome would’ve been a lot worse. If May hadn’t of turned his body, there probably would’ve been a head clash, with both players either having a broken nose of both knocked out. May had 1 of three options. 1. Step aside and not impact the contest at all which probably breaks a team rule. 2. Stand there at the risk of both getting injured. 3. Turn and brace for contact, which is the option he took.

And you manage a spelling mistake in a sentence containing 11 words? Standards at Mensa Oz must have slipped since i left.

I’ve got a mate who does just that. Excellent entertainment.

Not your best work What the [censored] was he supposed to do ? Step aside ? Bend over ? He is supposed to create a contest. He is entitled to stand his ground. It's a game whereby you COMPETE All he did was guard himself. He could have absolutely killed Berry. He didn't. Berry is probably the most at fault here. Plainly had no idea of his surroundings. It's actually HIS responsibility to be aware. He plainly wasn't. HE has a duty of care to HIMSELF. He failed. Run into a brick wall..... you're bound to get hurt.

Great read. I still think he had something to offer this year, but don't blame him one bit for moving on.

Don't get greedy. Just argue it medium to low. Not concussed, unassisted from the ground and "did not return to field" it's unreasonable to use this as evidence in a JLT game when Clubs frequently pull players. Brisbane played 25 players, there was no reason for them to put him back on

So Munford smacks his opponent in the face with his foreman , deliberate action. Gets off his ban and May who stood his ground and his opponent 'throws' himself backwards gets a week. Our game is in such good hands, we never know what decision is about to occur when the umpire blows his whistle and now we can guess work Christian's interpretations. How is it possible to suggest that Munford's action was of less force than May's ? The game is 'in such good hands!' yeah right!

It was not a bump. May stood his ground, braced himself for contact when the dumbass Brisbane player ran into him. A bump is when you move towards someone with the intention of connecting. May stood his ground....

I'm extremely disappointed in the poor discipline shown by May (which is not unusual for him). Regardless of whether the decision is right or wrong, he should never have put himself in that position. It wasn't a show of strength, but rather a show of stupidity, which is likely to cost the team. Grrr.

Can't even stand your ground when some Muppet with zero awareness comes careering toward you. Joke.

Exhibit A

That was ages ago, back in JLT1. Different interpretation for JLT2, simples.

Paul is too old to fight crocodiles now.

The tribunal is a joke. The MRP is a joke. Steven May doing something borderline suspendable in a praccy match is a joke. Clowns the lot of them.

Cotchin did, for a worse hit that put Shiel out of a Preliminary Final.

BS

You've actually made the most sense of all this. No mean achievement. You understand the subtlety and nuances of the rigged inconsistencies. You are wise among others not so. The game is a contest....the support is about contesting.The game is played on and OFF the field... between posts and between ears. Go Dees

I’m so sick of all the do gooders saying May was in the wrong. The great teams have always been brutal. We were in the 60’s. Geelong were and Hawthorn were in their dynasty’s. The Brisbane Lions who are the greatest team I have ever seen were. I Hope May gets reported and suspended again during the season. And again so every forward is worried he is coming. We have a 1 goal and that is a premiership. I have a feeling May will be drinking from the cup.

Well I'm pretty well damned impressed by May. Hasn't played one proper game for points.. .but he's got everyone up and dancing. Well done lad !! ?

I cant believe they kept Smith out there with a significant groin injury during a JLT. Someone needs their backside kicked. Ridiculous.

No

it wasn't off the ball at all. the ball was in the immediate area. Berry handpasses a split second before the bump/block.

Clarifying two things: - Berry is taller than May while somewhat lighter. - May had an option: he could have gone for the ball which is where Berry was heading instead of 'bracing' for Berry contact or at least gone for the ball after Berry fell instead of walking the other way. Nonetheless, imv it is not 'medium' impact and the criteria applied to assess it are rubbish in this instance. Very pleased the club has shown the mettle to appeal. It shows we will start standing up for ourselves and our players.

Superman dive away from the contest like the AFL’s love child Alex Rance

Leaving aside the suspension, it was plain stupid from may. Supposed to be leader. Risks a suspension before he plays his first game for a new club. For what. Nada. Stupid

I plan on making this my last post re this matter, as it's not a big enough issue to warrant too much time wasting. Your post is drivel. I don't know if you've ever played football, but one player knew there was a collision coming and the other didn't.

Now as any footballer knows you are allowed to and taught to (particularly when defending) stand your ground, hold your line, block an opponents run ect, now if a opponent runs into your already occupied space, you can protect that space and protect yourself, you will then tuck your elbow in and brace for impact exactly what may did, he did not deviate his line, he did not jump off the ground, and he did not lift his elbow he held his line and held his ground it was the opponent who moved into his space. Not only did berry move into mays space he also failed to see may, through a lack of awareness, even though may was directly in front of him, it was almost like he was admiring his handball , hence why he didn't notice may and ran straight into him, now may had every right to stand his ground and to meet the contact, just because berry doesn't notice him through a lack of awareness, berry then doesn't brace himself for contact making it look more forceful contact than it actually was, I also think he carried on a bit because he was surprised may was there, and probably thought may came from a angle just to clean him up, when really he was right in front of him. So IMO berry ran straight into may, may then well within his right protected himself and protected his space and met berry in a protected legal stance. Berry then played up the event making it look worse than it was Ffs a bloke is allowed to stand his ground

Y’know.... it’s really not the fact that May got 1 week for this that bothers me. It’s that I am certain that in 5 to 6 rounds time this will not be applied to the same standard of consistency and the AFL will just ignore the difference.

It's a ridiculous suspension but all those saying May was stationary are blind. He clear moved towards Berry to initiate contact with him. Shouldn't get suspended due to the minimal impact but he definitely initiated contact

I don't think May should be suspended. Did you see the drivel I was responding to ?

That Berry didn't play out the game will not work in May's favour. His lack of awareness has zilch to do with May getting off. The bump was intended, got him flush on the jaw. His body moved towards Berry. Could've stepped away or got him lower. Duty of care is on May. FFS, it's a practice game, there was no need for it.

Extremely unlucky and unfortunate incident but he won't get off. Already having nightmares of Frost and O-Mac lining up for us round 1.

Berry takes a mark and then takes on CP who is standing the mark , breaks his tackle and continues to run forward, may comes across to apply pressure he stops (flat footed, stationary, not moving) with his arms stretched apart anticipating Berry's next move, berry is now about 5 or 10 meters directly in front of may and has noticed a free teammate to his right and I believe has not noticed may , he then handballs to his teammate and continues running flat out to be a option to his teammate, (his eyes are still on his teammate)berry is now running straight at, a stationary may who has then turned his body into a posistion to protect himself from berry running straight into him, berrys eyes have now turned from his teammate and seen Steven may right in front of him, but its too late he has no time to protect himself but May has, and he does protect himself and had every right to, Berry's chin then meets mays shoulder that is pointed at a incoming collision May is allowed to hold his ground its not his fault berry ran into him BTW if may was running towards berry and meet him with his shoulder, berry would not be walking off that field

it really boils down to impact to head being judged as medium before he hit the ground (not impact to chest/shoulder) it wasn't, he gets downgraded to a fine.....qed

Despite those epic highlights from Cunningham and Zanker, plus O'Dea's efforts to drag us over the line, that was probably our worst result of the season. Too many players giving away unnecessary free kicks and we were diabolical in front of goal in the first. Interestingly, we lead the competition in contested marks and are 2nd in marks inside 50, probably mostly due to Cunningham's Inspector Gadget arms. Adelaide have kicked 48 goals 43 behinds to be 2nd in goal kicking accuracy compares to our 38 goals 43 behinds and 4th. And that's the difference. So... we'll need a miracle at Casey this Saturday but I hope at least they go out swinging. The conference system has obviously done us no favours, but close losses and failure to add % when we had the chance have cost us yet again. That wind-affected game against the Pies is the other one we could have capitalised on better despite the conditions. It's also probably worth acknowledging that we've been very lucky with injuries overall compared to some other teams and have had a very settled team from week to week, which is especially beneficial in the short season. So while we've had some bad luck (robbed by the umps against the Roos), we've certainly had a good run of luck in other ways, and like Lucifer says, only have ourselves to blame for the lapses that cost us against Freo and the Dogs.

There goes his Brownlow

If Mummy can get off for his roundhouse to the head then May should get off for bracing himself for contact. Berry should be charged for trying to charge May ?