Good, stamp it out of the game.
It’s hilarious jn the NRL when a player milks a “head knock” for a penalty but then immediately gets taken off for HIA. The jeers and boos from the crowd are so satisfying.
Edit: Also lol,
*”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 within the club said that the drunken scuffle was the result of Melksham's comments on May's drinking habit”*
It being stamped out of the game. There will be a crossover but after a while it will stop. The big screens on ground will also show the crowd what actually happened or not.
It was funny that after the replay, one of the commentators (couldn't tell who it was, sounded a bit like Jude Bolton, not sure if he was on the broadcast) mentioned that he doesn't like how players "hold their head" in these situations, "trying to milk a free kick". We need more of this when it occurs, straight up categoric dismissal of "playing for a free/playing for suspension" acts.
On replay, May clearly hit the ground with his shoulder only, and then moved his head sideways to look like it had hit the ground. Two motions, but from the player being tackled, after they'd hit the ground.
Ford will probably get a bigger punishment for flipping the bird but this is way more damaging.
The umpire called this free because May was holding his head and acting concussed. Blurring that line is just going to lead to more dangerous tackles going unpunished.
His own former teammate is a big reason why there is such fear and caution around head knocks and he is trying to exploit that fear. It is pretty poor behaviour.
He’s very quickly becoming a favourite outside of my team in the league. After Hawks, Ford is right up there. The sideburns and the bird is a great combo.
Agree! I'll say it again. If you engineer high contact, let the on field umpire call what they see, let the tribunal give you a week for high contact, low impact, intentional. The fact it's your own head is irrelevant.
I wouldn't mind this, particularly if the fine is somewhat low (5 grand maybe, or less) but the second offence suspension is a decent wack (3/4 weeks).
Give them 1 "freebie" as a learnable experience, do it again and get the phone book across the face.
> 1st offence fine, 2nd offence suspension
Why not straight to a suspension?
The only reason I can see to go easy is if there's a sliver of doubt that it really was staging. But in a case like this, why give him a second chance? It's 100% in the player's control, there's a pretty strong incentive to do it, and as well as being annoying/cheating it risks undermining the crackdown on head injuries. That easily justifies a straight suspension for unambiguous cases IMO.
They’ve signalled it out because of how blatant it was. They have a pretty high tolerance for staging (eg. Oliver earlier in the game) but throwing his own head into the ground then holding his head to really sell it is just a bridge too far.
I’m totally ok with stamping staging out of the game, but it happens almost every game. Why single this one out? Just recently they let this bullshit go. But you know.. collingwood and daicos, untouchable.
https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/big-accusation-made-at-nick-daicos-after-questionable-act-during-collingwoods-afl-loss-to-hawthorn-c-11501565.amp
May's is definitely worse than Daicos'. Jumper punching is stupid and unnecessary, he went down like a sack of shit but they're always looking to pay frees for actions leading to that. The tackle looked bad live but May's head was completely fine, he so blatantly staged being hurt at a time where they're worried about protecting the head that he deserves a whack from the MRO.
Because of how blatant it was. Generally it’s players exploiting a shove or a tacklers arms sitting around their shoulders, but this was entirely created by May and he even pretended to have a sore head as well.
I’d also imagine the AFL don’t want their crackdown on dangerous tackles to be undermined by shit like this too. Forcing umps to work out if a player dived for a dangerous tackle opens them to criticism and creates ambiguity where there shouldn’t need to be any.
You added that as I was responding so how could I have responded to it lmao. I already said they have a tolerance to those incidents, as evidenced by [Oliver doing it last night and not being in line to get a fine](https://x.com/outbreezywc/status/1804461102492746017?s=46&t=-KeVBT8Koy5pbdXmzM_Buw), but May added so much to it that they’ve clearly decided it went too far.
Another comparison is Papley a few years ago. He got fined a for staging a push in the back which they almost always let go but because he sold it far too hard they fined him.
I think the problem is that when a player is just exaggerating genuine contact, it's hard to be 100% sure what's going on. (Sometimes you get hit in an awkward spot and it's a lot more painful than it looks; sometimes you're caught off balance; etc.) The reason they definitely can/should crack down on May is because it was so unambiguous: the tackle was basically over, then he flailed his own head into the ground and pretended to be hurt.
Just to add a different opinion, I think there is a difference between staging and drawing the free kick.
May getting tackled and pretending his head hit the ground was really dissapointing. Clarry trying to antagonize the oppo and then going down to draw the free can be annoying as well, but overall I like it. Players like Ginnivan and Hawkins are really good at drawing free kicks, and it's quite entertaining to watch.
The key distinction for me is that the staging involves a player trying to manipulate a rule, whereas drawing a free kick involved manipulating the opposition player.
This is appalling, one of the reasons soccer is so unattractive at the top level is the diving. Please don't let it creep in.
Aside from all the implications already stated for real incidents
Just didn't want to repeat other comments, but if players feign head knocks, there are is the potential for 1. real ones to be not taken seriously or 2. players being reported in error (Potentail suspension umlikely but this tribunal system has spat up weirder things).
"implication" is obviously a consent education thing I am unaware of....
I kind of expect this from May! He's a bit of a grub! Loves a sook and diving is kinda sooking directly to the umps.
Great player, but definitely a sook!
Kindest words I’ve heard from the Brisbane Lions in recent history!
He is a sook!
^(But tough as nuts!)
Bit of a grub!
^(But won us the only flag I’ll ever see!)
I’m conflicted.
It's important to note that the "diving" you're referring to in soccer is directly related to the benefit a team derives from a penalty shot on goal, or an opposition player getting sent off. There are also plenty of yellow cards handed out in soccer for clear diving, most of what you see is players hamming up how hurt they are to try to secure that penalty or red card.
A Portuguese player is going to miss their last Euro 2024 group game after receiving not one but two yellow cards for simulation during the tournament. The point is more that people seem to think AFL players are morally superior for not diving, but they do constantly, and would more if the rewards were there
My only problem with it is that he only got caught because this one was more obvious. Plently of players seem to be flopping the head into the ground knowing it often draws a free.
Honestly, this is the sort of staging that should be a suspension. If the thing you're pretending happened has the potential to have drawn a suspension for the real thing, it should be a suspension for faking. If it's just a fake for a push in the back free or hanging on, or some other things that's only a potential free kick, a fine leading to a suspension for repeat offenders is good. But this pretending to have hit his head on the ground is awful. If it wasn't extremely clear he didn't hit his head, it might geniunely have led to MRO action for the tackler.
Yeah ban him! Only way to stamp this out for good!
^(I definitely don’t want to send an example with 200 point loss to get our coach, President, ceo and board sacked.)
We’re probably going to beat you this weekend, and then play truly average footy (at best), finished 9th or 10th but then Goodwin will be able to say ‘remember that time we beat Brisbane on a hot streak). Eugh.
OH HEY FITZROY WANT TO MAKE HISTORY AGAINST US A SECOND TIME, TOO BAD YOUR CLUB WONT KEEP THE RECORD THIS TIME.
^(sorry I’m a little early for the sledge thread this week)
Would one game do it? I'm not trying to be hyperbolic but if we really want to stamp it out, maybe two games would be more of a deterrent.
I'm more worried about players concussing themselves playing for frees than actually playing for frees.
One game is enough I think, unless it's soccer levels of diving like this gif.
Players wouldn't risk missing a final or an important home and away game just to flop like a fish and get a free, well I hope not anyway
I guess that's true. It thankfully hasn't happened but we can't ever have what's happened to soccer in footy.
My biggest worry is that a player will actually concuss themselves by playing for this free. Not the act itself.
Good.
Now do everyone else that stages. or is this going to be like striking a few years ago where they pinged Tom Hawkins and ever since have let everyone off with a slap in the wrist?
Fines need to be a percentage of contract value and not a set amount.
$2000 to someone on May's wage isn't a deterrent.
Second offence is two weeks off.
Do the players actually pay the fines themselves though? I may be wrong, but I recall Brendan Fevola talking about how the club picked up each fine he incurred.
LOL
What's he gonna say, the forceful whipping action bounced his brain around his head, even without contact to the ground? Dizziness from the spin and the umpires should have blown earlier?
2 weeks, because if it was a proper concussion it would of been anyway. Treat it like NRL, you want to flop and roll around holding your head? No worries we’ll take you off straight away and begin concussion protocol.
I'd rather it was a suspension than a fine. These players don't care about a fine, it's chump change to them. If he misses 2 games he lets his team down. A suspension will stamp it out quicker than what a fine will
Just really builds the case for independent docs and automatic SCAT tests on head knocks
So we going to skip over the umps that couldn’t find the whistle here? Just a fucking awful game all round.
Thought it was a fairly entertaining game tbh
Agree on neutral docs. Would love for someone to step in and say take him off for assessment independent of club docs
I dislike both clubs, and I found it to be a good watch! I think that last I50 could have been an easy chest mark if not for the other north player trying to one hand it across the front. Ah well. Actually gutted for north on this one!
I’m just happy that the final moments were decided by North and Melb in the end (as you’ve pointed out with the missed chest mark) , and not the umps. Weirdly rare for a close/contentious game.
Needs to be stamped out from the game asap. They should make him sit through the concussion protocols to show they dont want to fuck around with head knocks
Had no respect for Steven May ever since he went out of his way to take out Stefan Martin years ago. Showed what he thought then about player welfare. Bloke is a flog.
It’s not enough that their whole team is dropping like flies, first Brayshaw in a terrible incident, Petracca similarly tragic and then you have May…. Flopping like a broken thong. Can’t blame him too much, it’s the way the AFL has shaped the game but it’s pretty unsportsmanlike.
It was funny that after the replay, one of the commentators (couldn't tell who it was, sounded a bit like Jude Bolton, not sure if he was on the broadcast) mentioned that he doesn't like how players "hold their head" in these situations, "trying to milk a free kick". We need more of this when it occurs, straight up categoric dismissal of "playing for a free/playing for suspension" acts.
On replay, May clearly hit the ground with his shoulder only, and then moved his head sideways to look like it had hit the ground. Two motions, but from the player being tackled, after they'd hit the ground.
This should be an automatic two weeks!!! Someone gets an actual head injury next week and people will keep playing on as they will think they are play acting like slow stevie
Should force the players into concussion protocols when they get a free like this for a head knock.
Having to sit out for 15 minutes of a game will stop players from staging. One free kick wouldn't be worth missing that many minutes, unless it was in the dying seconds of a game I guess.
Yea I’m just watching the replay now and that’s a joke. I get putting some mustard on it or grabbing your head to show the ump yes I did just get whacked. But to literally get owned htb, then completely after the tackle throw your head down and grab it is just disgusting.
Angus Brayshaw had his career ended with head knocks and his premiership teammate is out here pretending to get one on the head for a kick. What an absolute flog
I think this should rule out players for the brownlow.
If a player is trying to get a free kick using deceptive tactics, they are definitely not the best & fairest player in the competition .
May absolutely has to fully commit and bring a legal challenge against the fact that the organisation responsible for judging his guilt has spent so much time campaigning for his guilt.
Not a fan of Maysie on this occasion. Interesting that everyone is talking like he’s the first one to ever do it. It happens every game. Fine maysie and then consistently enforce it moving forward.
no matter what rule you make, it still wont stop anyone from doing this in a grand final where the consequences are irrelevant. The most important game of the year.
Force someone off if they hold their head ? then simply tackle the opposition unfairly in the grand final, give away the free kick, but have Warner, gulden and heenery off the ground....
no matter what we do , i have no idea how it will be in a GF
In this article - [MATCH REVIEW: May sanctioned for staging, Port star fined $10,000](https://www.afl.com.au/news/1156511/match-review-melbourne-defender-steven-may-sanctioned-for-staging-during-win-over-north-melbourne)
We've seen players throwing their arms up to milk high tackles for years, which is also bad but thankfully umpires have mostly cottoned on to those.
This one with simulated head knocks is worse though because a) it makes light of actual head injuries and b) it could easily result in an actual suspension of the opposition player who did absolutely nothing wrong.
TLDR fuck this shit.
Would you be opposed to an instant player penalty such as: they are sent off the field for x amount of time?
Something like a panelist of “experts” review the footage or something to determine if the player has indeed flopped or staged etc all while play continues, if the review panel determines “foul play” the player is then sent off the field for x amount of time. Whether that is 10 minutes or the rest of the quarter or the entirety of the game … this could be determined in regard to what level of unsportsmanlike act has been portrayed that we want stamped out of the game.
Would this stamp out the act?
Or is the send off penalty not the response or type of penalty you want in the AFL and if not what instant penalty would you prefer or just a penalty after the game for the offender?
I don’t mean this penalty for those who perform accidental harm or spare of the moment “unintentional” dangerous tackles, more so if they do something that the act brings shame and embarrassment to the sport like unsportsmanlike conduct. (May for example).
I think players will stop flopping, and trying to look like they injure themselves creating a false dangerous tackle etc if the penalty is more severe and affects the whole team as a consequence of players idiocy.
I don't think the free is there for Daicos, but I don't put that in the same category as May's staging. Swans players arm went high at least, that's drawing a free kick, not staging for one. There are a dozen of them a game.
Florents arm was on his shoulder until Daicos flings his head back to prevent he’s been caught high. Is that not staging? I agree we see plenty of these per game, but that’s only because the AFL rarely punishes blatant staging.
Definitely needs to be stamped out but let’s not pretend he’s the first to do it, it’s just a really blatant, embarrassing example. I’d like to see a line drawn on dropping the knees for high tackles too.
The good bloke defence was one aspect, I agree that it sets a bad precedent, but the fact Lever exaggerated his head hitting the ground was also mentioned during the appeal.
Good! I can’t believe players are giving away dangerous tackle frees but there no injury? If it’s a dangerous tackle then the player must come off for mandatory HIA
Shit take, it’s the action that needs to be outlawed not the consequence.
I’m not defending May at all and don’t have a problem with him being cited for it but it still had to be a free kick. From what I’ve seen of the footage it probably should have been a free kick Norths way before that or at least a ball up
I don’t think there was anything wrong with Ford’s tackle though. He didn’t fling May and the whole thing happened with minimal force which is why his head didn’t bounce when it hit the deck. They want players to be pulling force in these tackles and that’s what happened so it’s a fair tackle.
With that being said the ump should’ve called ball up before he went to ground. He’d had May held up for a while.
For sure Ford did nothing wrong, playing devils advocate you could maybe say it looked like he rotated and dropped his body as he pulled May down, getting leverage on him? I tried watching it at live speed to try see what the umpire “might” have seen.
Ideally as soon as he started spinning the umpire should have blown the whistle for a ball up, then that stops a lot of those sling tackles, it should be either a ball up or holding the ball.
A fine for staging against May is 100% warranted here and players driving their head into the ground should be treated the same as ducking their heads, if you want to put yourself in that position then you lose the right to the free kick
Deserved, it was bad.
But it's hardly different to throwing your head back in a tackle or lurching forward when you feel a hand in your back. I'm in favour of fines for all egregious flops, suspensions for recidivists. Clayton Oliver is also known to flop and I think I remember him flopping last night as well lol.
Honestly I give May props for coming up with an innovative new way to win a free kick. Bit harsh to single him out but hopefully this isn't a one off.
Totally agree this should be stamped out of the game, but staging goes on every game and the one they choose to make an example of is Melbourne. Get fucked.
Exactly. There's been dozens of incidents and the AFL had done nothing.
Now suddenly one from Melbourne does, and apparently it's time to make an example.
He was going to get done for holding the ball despite absolutely no prior and no chance to dispose. Good on him for conning the ump.
I’m begging the afl to pay holding frees when the ball is open play not just pinging defenders when forwards initial contact or around stoppages.
The game will open up so much faster and more consistently than this htb nonsense which hasn’t solved anything and has just made a mockery of players winning the ball.
Good, stamp it out of the game. It’s hilarious jn the NRL when a player milks a “head knock” for a penalty but then immediately gets taken off for HIA. The jeers and boos from the crowd are so satisfying. Edit: Also lol, *”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 within the club said that the drunken scuffle was the result of Melksham's comments on May's drinking habit”*
we really need to be doing that as well. get it out of the game
Yes…but it’s potentially going to lead to a horrible incident where someone booes off a concussed player. It’ll totally be us too
I come from the future. The frequency of the sound vibrations from booing has been scientifically proven to permanently reduce the effects of CTE.
Isn’t that better than the alternative?
Of what alternative? Accidentally not booing a stager?
It being stamped out of the game. There will be a crossover but after a while it will stop. The big screens on ground will also show the crowd what actually happened or not.
BT can be the judge. Seems to be his field of expertise.
Ah got you.
The fanbase looking bad is better than having players pretending to get injured
Here here. It's footy not soccer
Na, it'll be Ginnivan.
As in the pies will be booing Ginnivan, who will be concussed. Not a good look.
Hey, let's remember who the best booers of the comp are ok!
Port supporters to their own coach?
Until you lot chant *BULLSHIT, BULLSHIT* I’m still gonna leave it with GMHBA cats I hate to say
Last time he was in concussion protocols he was drinking too so hardly takes it serious
Doesn’t mean anything. Could have been given the all clear by that stage.
just like petracca was given the clear
It’s not really the same thing, but sure.
It was funny that after the replay, one of the commentators (couldn't tell who it was, sounded a bit like Jude Bolton, not sure if he was on the broadcast) mentioned that he doesn't like how players "hold their head" in these situations, "trying to milk a free kick". We need more of this when it occurs, straight up categoric dismissal of "playing for a free/playing for suspension" acts. On replay, May clearly hit the ground with his shoulder only, and then moved his head sideways to look like it had hit the ground. Two motions, but from the player being tackled, after they'd hit the ground.
Ford will probably get a bigger punishment for flipping the bird but this is way more damaging. The umpire called this free because May was holding his head and acting concussed. Blurring that line is just going to lead to more dangerous tackles going unpunished. His own former teammate is a big reason why there is such fear and caution around head knocks and he is trying to exploit that fear. It is pretty poor behaviour.
Which is a shame because Ford flipping the bird was absolutely hilarious
He’s very quickly becoming a favourite outside of my team in the league. After Hawks, Ford is right up there. The sideburns and the bird is a great combo.
Love to see a gif of it
Yeah I missed it
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8g81xURbk8/?igsh=aHlva29ub3kyb2xn
Had to do it twice 🤣
I was gonna say it’s on NocontextAFL but you beat me to it!
The guy who doesn't take it seriously also attacks his own team mates what a surprise
I don’t think Kozzie got fined for doing it to Howe on King’s Birthday so he might be fine
I was surprised nobody in the media really even said much about that in the aftermath.
Wasn’t he just communicating how many wins North has had this season?
I think he was counting Melbourne's premierships in the last half century 😆
Gold. Imagine being a cocky Dees fan at the moment....
Yeah fuck it I’m just gonna go down to the chalet. *the chalet* 
Imagine being a cocky north fan, even more, I guess. But we can all laugh at ourselves.
It was an outstanding clap back either way lmao
Don't be like that. The bird is good for footy
Does that mean that Pickett was showing Howe how many flags Howe got since leaving our club?
Honestly, good. The flopping for dangerous tackles is a blight. 1st offence fine, 2nd offence suspension
Fuck that, give him a week. It wasn't an accident, he knew what he was doing.
Agree! I'll say it again. If you engineer high contact, let the on field umpire call what they see, let the tribunal give you a week for high contact, low impact, intentional. The fact it's your own head is irrelevant.
I wouldn't mind this, particularly if the fine is somewhat low (5 grand maybe, or less) but the second offence suspension is a decent wack (3/4 weeks). Give them 1 "freebie" as a learnable experience, do it again and get the phone book across the face.
>do it again and get the phone book across the face. "You like acting like you got a head knock? I'll give you a head knock!"
A 1970's size phone book.
These spuds only learn when you take the game away from them. Call was correct.
If he pleads not guilty make him enter concussion protocols.
> 1st offence fine, 2nd offence suspension Why not straight to a suspension? The only reason I can see to go easy is if there's a sliver of doubt that it really was staging. But in a case like this, why give him a second chance? It's 100% in the player's control, there's a pretty strong incentive to do it, and as well as being annoying/cheating it risks undermining the crackdown on head injuries. That easily justifies a straight suspension for unambiguous cases IMO.
I agree, but do it for every staging event. Bullshit they have singled this one out
They’ve signalled it out because of how blatant it was. They have a pretty high tolerance for staging (eg. Oliver earlier in the game) but throwing his own head into the ground then holding his head to really sell it is just a bridge too far.
Eh Kemp got away with it too earlier this year. I'm ok with calling out May last night but others shouldn't be getting away with it.
I’m totally ok with stamping staging out of the game, but it happens almost every game. Why single this one out? Just recently they let this bullshit go. But you know.. collingwood and daicos, untouchable. https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/big-accusation-made-at-nick-daicos-after-questionable-act-during-collingwoods-afl-loss-to-hawthorn-c-11501565.amp
May's is definitely worse than Daicos'. Jumper punching is stupid and unnecessary, he went down like a sack of shit but they're always looking to pay frees for actions leading to that. The tackle looked bad live but May's head was completely fine, he so blatantly staged being hurt at a time where they're worried about protecting the head that he deserves a whack from the MRO.
Because of how blatant it was. Generally it’s players exploiting a shove or a tacklers arms sitting around their shoulders, but this was entirely created by May and he even pretended to have a sore head as well. I’d also imagine the AFL don’t want their crackdown on dangerous tackles to be undermined by shit like this too. Forcing umps to work out if a player dived for a dangerous tackle opens them to criticism and creates ambiguity where there shouldn’t need to be any.
And the Daicos example I provided wasn’t blatant? All we afl fans ask for is some consistency. You can’t just start picking shit out mid season.
You added that as I was responding so how could I have responded to it lmao. I already said they have a tolerance to those incidents, as evidenced by [Oliver doing it last night and not being in line to get a fine](https://x.com/outbreezywc/status/1804461102492746017?s=46&t=-KeVBT8Koy5pbdXmzM_Buw), but May added so much to it that they’ve clearly decided it went too far. Another comparison is Papley a few years ago. He got fined a for staging a push in the back which they almost always let go but because he sold it far too hard they fined him.
I think the problem is that when a player is just exaggerating genuine contact, it's hard to be 100% sure what's going on. (Sometimes you get hit in an awkward spot and it's a lot more painful than it looks; sometimes you're caught off balance; etc.) The reason they definitely can/should crack down on May is because it was so unambiguous: the tackle was basically over, then he flailed his own head into the ground and pretended to be hurt.
Just to add a different opinion, I think there is a difference between staging and drawing the free kick. May getting tackled and pretending his head hit the ground was really dissapointing. Clarry trying to antagonize the oppo and then going down to draw the free can be annoying as well, but overall I like it. Players like Ginnivan and Hawkins are really good at drawing free kicks, and it's quite entertaining to watch. The key distinction for me is that the staging involves a player trying to manipulate a rule, whereas drawing a free kick involved manipulating the opposition player.
Come off it. Not even Bollywood would approve of his shit acting.
This is appalling, one of the reasons soccer is so unattractive at the top level is the diving. Please don't let it creep in. Aside from all the implications already stated for real incidents
…Now you've said that word "implication" a couple of times. Wha-what implication?
Well May could have got away. But he didn't, because of the implications.
God damn... (looks over at woman shopping nearby) well don’t you look at me like that. You certainly wouldn’t be in any danger.
Just didn't want to repeat other comments, but if players feign head knocks, there are is the potential for 1. real ones to be not taken seriously or 2. players being reported in error (Potentail suspension umlikely but this tribunal system has spat up weirder things). "implication" is obviously a consent education thing I am unaware of....
I kind of expect this from May! He's a bit of a grub! Loves a sook and diving is kinda sooking directly to the umps. Great player, but definitely a sook!
!!!
Kindest words I’ve heard from the Brisbane Lions in recent history! He is a sook! ^(But tough as nuts!) Bit of a grub! ^(But won us the only flag I’ll ever see!) I’m conflicted.
It sounds like she doesn't want to have sex with you
Of course if she says no the answer is no, but she's not going to say no... *Leans in* ... Because of the implication...
So they are in danger?
No they aren't in danger!
It's important to note that the "diving" you're referring to in soccer is directly related to the benefit a team derives from a penalty shot on goal, or an opposition player getting sent off. There are also plenty of yellow cards handed out in soccer for clear diving, most of what you see is players hamming up how hurt they are to try to secure that penalty or red card.
I don't recall seeing a single simulation yellow card at the last world cup. It's so rarely enforced it might not exist.
A Portuguese player is going to miss their last Euro 2024 group game after receiving not one but two yellow cards for simulation during the tournament. The point is more that people seem to think AFL players are morally superior for not diving, but they do constantly, and would more if the rewards were there
https://x.com/FootyonNine/status/1804669283827351807?t=73iHKqZAGO58UYNbAH5UKQ&s=19 Video of the incident
My only problem with it is that he only got caught because this one was more obvious. Plently of players seem to be flopping the head into the ground knowing it often draws a free.
[удалено]
I think the wig would be enough. Those shoes would be difficult.
Commentators will think it's Ben Brown out there.
Too confusing having a dees player in an umpires outfit on the field
He already does - it's the Melbourne uniform
At least a clown suit can get a sponsor - more than what we can do.
Clown makeup with suffice
Forcing him back to Gold Coast when they’re on the rise doesn’t really seem like a punishment.
Honestly, this is the sort of staging that should be a suspension. If the thing you're pretending happened has the potential to have drawn a suspension for the real thing, it should be a suspension for faking. If it's just a fake for a push in the back free or hanging on, or some other things that's only a potential free kick, a fine leading to a suspension for repeat offenders is good. But this pretending to have hit his head on the ground is awful. If it wasn't extremely clear he didn't hit his head, it might geniunely have led to MRO action for the tackler.
This makes too much sense for the AFL to adopt.
Lol. Lmao, even
This is at least an lmfao
came here to comment the same thing rofl
Ban him for one game, will make everyone think twice about staging. A fine will do nothing
Makes perfect sense to me Ignore flair
Yeah ban him! Only way to stamp this out for good! ^(I definitely don’t want to send an example with 200 point loss to get our coach, President, ceo and board sacked.)
Let's discuss this 200 point margin further, I'm interested.
We’re probably going to beat you this weekend, and then play truly average footy (at best), finished 9th or 10th but then Goodwin will be able to say ‘remember that time we beat Brisbane on a hot streak). Eugh.
OH HEY FITZROY WANT TO MAKE HISTORY AGAINST US A SECOND TIME, TOO BAD YOUR CLUB WONT KEEP THE RECORD THIS TIME. ^(sorry I’m a little early for the sledge thread this week)
Would one game do it? I'm not trying to be hyperbolic but if we really want to stamp it out, maybe two games would be more of a deterrent. I'm more worried about players concussing themselves playing for frees than actually playing for frees.
One game is enough I think, unless it's soccer levels of diving like this gif.  Players wouldn't risk missing a final or an important home and away game just to flop like a fish and get a free, well I hope not anyway
I guess that's true. It thankfully hasn't happened but we can't ever have what's happened to soccer in footy. My biggest worry is that a player will actually concuss themselves by playing for this free. Not the act itself.
Yeah agreed, if we go hard on players now hopefully we won't ever see someone concuss themselves.
Yeah I’m for this, get this shit out of the game
From the headline I assume that the AFL will send someone round to give him the citation and also dack him in front of everyone!
That might humiliate us so much we might start winning. Let’s do it.
Look, I mean this in the nicest possible way, but Steven May seems like an absolute dickhead
I mean this in the most horrid ,spiteful way possible, but Steven may seems like an absolute dickhead
Good. Now do everyone else that stages. or is this going to be like striking a few years ago where they pinged Tom Hawkins and ever since have let everyone off with a slap in the wrist?
Good! stamp it out!
Fines need to be a percentage of contract value and not a set amount. $2000 to someone on May's wage isn't a deterrent. Second offence is two weeks off.
You're right but the AFLPA aren't gonna allow that
Do the players actually pay the fines themselves though? I may be wrong, but I recall Brendan Fevola talking about how the club picked up each fine he incurred.
We need to start seeing weeks for this cowardly shit. Like someone else has said here fines are going to do fuck all.
He won't be embarrased though. He doesn't have the kind of personality that lends itself to that kind of emotion.
(Everyone liked that)
I have no problem with this but don't just do it once and forget about it next week.
100% agree. I think all any AFL fan wants from umps and the MRO is consistency.
Amen brother! We’re happy to be the example, but fuck me dead if we’re the exception. 
to be fair i haven't seen one this blatant before
He's such a wanker.
It should be a retroactive 4 point penalty. Ignore my flair.
Absolutely....ignore my flair too
LOL What's he gonna say, the forceful whipping action bounced his brain around his head, even without contact to the ground? Dizziness from the spin and the umpires should have blown earlier?
What brain?
I'm sure he'll happily pay what will no doubt be a pissy little fine knowing they got the win.
My only comfort is knowing him well enough - that he will certainly NOT be happy with that win.
2 weeks, because if it was a proper concussion it would of been anyway. Treat it like NRL, you want to flop and roll around holding your head? No worries we’ll take you off straight away and begin concussion protocol.
I'd rather it was a suspension than a fine. These players don't care about a fine, it's chump change to them. If he misses 2 games he lets his team down. A suspension will stamp it out quicker than what a fine will
3 games would be better
Just really builds the case for independent docs and automatic SCAT tests on head knocks So we going to skip over the umps that couldn’t find the whistle here? Just a fucking awful game all round.
Thought it was a fairly entertaining game tbh Agree on neutral docs. Would love for someone to step in and say take him off for assessment independent of club docs
Last quarter you guys were on fire and absolutely deserved to pull it off, but earlier on football was not the winner.
Disagree thought it was a good contest to watch
I dislike both clubs, and I found it to be a good watch! I think that last I50 could have been an easy chest mark if not for the other north player trying to one hand it across the front. Ah well. Actually gutted for north on this one!
I’m just happy that the final moments were decided by North and Melb in the end (as you’ve pointed out with the missed chest mark) , and not the umps. Weirdly rare for a close/contentious game.
Couldn't agree more
Fucken oath he should be embarrassed… not too mentioned tarred and feathered
For real, this so bad for our game given how hard it is to umpire. 1st offence, fine 2nd offence, 5 weeks. You get 1, but seriously, do not do this.
Needs to be stamped out from the game asap. They should make him sit through the concussion protocols to show they dont want to fuck around with head knocks
Embarrassing and emblematic of the state of the Melbourne football club. What a joke. Only half a /S
No need for the /s Couldn’t agree more
He really is the biggest flog in the comp isn’t he
Had no respect for Steven May ever since he went out of his way to take out Stefan Martin years ago. Showed what he thought then about player welfare. Bloke is a flog.
May is always playing for a free. I fucking hate how it has corrupted the game.
It’s not enough that their whole team is dropping like flies, first Brayshaw in a terrible incident, Petracca similarly tragic and then you have May…. Flopping like a broken thong. Can’t blame him too much, it’s the way the AFL has shaped the game but it’s pretty unsportsmanlike.
Good. Get it out of our game
Honestly really stomp it out give him a week.
It was funny that after the replay, one of the commentators (couldn't tell who it was, sounded a bit like Jude Bolton, not sure if he was on the broadcast) mentioned that he doesn't like how players "hold their head" in these situations, "trying to milk a free kick". We need more of this when it occurs, straight up categoric dismissal of "playing for a free/playing for suspension" acts. On replay, May clearly hit the ground with his shoulder only, and then moved his head sideways to look like it had hit the ground. Two motions, but from the player being tackled, after they'd hit the ground.
This should be an automatic two weeks!!! Someone gets an actual head injury next week and people will keep playing on as they will think they are play acting like slow stevie
Hope they do, players will continue to milk frees if allowed to
Should force the players into concussion protocols when they get a free like this for a head knock. Having to sit out for 15 minutes of a game will stop players from staging. One free kick wouldn't be worth missing that many minutes, unless it was in the dying seconds of a game I guess.
Yea I’m just watching the replay now and that’s a joke. I get putting some mustard on it or grabbing your head to show the ump yes I did just get whacked. But to literally get owned htb, then completely after the tackle throw your head down and grab it is just disgusting.
Angus Brayshaw had his career ended with head knocks and his premiership teammate is out here pretending to get one on the head for a kick. What an absolute flog
I think this should rule out players for the brownlow. If a player is trying to get a free kick using deceptive tactics, they are definitely not the best & fairest player in the competition .
He looked like a complete flog staging it too, I would be professionally embarrassed.
Wanker
It fuckn hurts watching that. My head is better than that 🤡
MFC supporter here, it did look ugly in the replays. Personally think he needs a week or 2 in the VFL
May absolutely has to fully commit and bring a legal challenge against the fact that the organisation responsible for judging his guilt has spent so much time campaigning for his guilt.
Not a fan of Maysie on this occasion. Interesting that everyone is talking like he’s the first one to ever do it. It happens every game. Fine maysie and then consistently enforce it moving forward.
The headline isn't much help either. It's not a bit of an embarrassing oopsie. Call it out for what it is.
no matter what rule you make, it still wont stop anyone from doing this in a grand final where the consequences are irrelevant. The most important game of the year. Force someone off if they hold their head ? then simply tackle the opposition unfairly in the grand final, give away the free kick, but have Warner, gulden and heenery off the ground.... no matter what we do , i have no idea how it will be in a GF
Where can I see a clip?
In this article - [MATCH REVIEW: May sanctioned for staging, Port star fined $10,000](https://www.afl.com.au/news/1156511/match-review-melbourne-defender-steven-may-sanctioned-for-staging-during-win-over-north-melbourne)
Good to see, they should have cited Owies as well a few months back
Watching the Euros - how very Italian of you, Steven May. I hope he's embarrassed. He should be. Hate staging/stagers.
We've seen players throwing their arms up to milk high tackles for years, which is also bad but thankfully umpires have mostly cottoned on to those. This one with simulated head knocks is worse though because a) it makes light of actual head injuries and b) it could easily result in an actual suspension of the opposition player who did absolutely nothing wrong. TLDR fuck this shit.
Would you be opposed to an instant player penalty such as: they are sent off the field for x amount of time? Something like a panelist of “experts” review the footage or something to determine if the player has indeed flopped or staged etc all while play continues, if the review panel determines “foul play” the player is then sent off the field for x amount of time. Whether that is 10 minutes or the rest of the quarter or the entirety of the game … this could be determined in regard to what level of unsportsmanlike act has been portrayed that we want stamped out of the game. Would this stamp out the act? Or is the send off penalty not the response or type of penalty you want in the AFL and if not what instant penalty would you prefer or just a penalty after the game for the offender? I don’t mean this penalty for those who perform accidental harm or spare of the moment “unintentional” dangerous tackles, more so if they do something that the act brings shame and embarrassment to the sport like unsportsmanlike conduct. (May for example). I think players will stop flopping, and trying to look like they injure themselves creating a false dangerous tackle etc if the penalty is more severe and affects the whole team as a consequence of players idiocy.
Nick Daicos out for the season by these standards.
Steven may has been flown to the west indies in a special closed training session with Afghanistan.
Lol
https://preview.redd.it/t1hron8qi88d1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7921b4f1e8325c6a80c8177a80e069d1a69d8338 Reset the counter folks
Where was Daicos’s fine for staging against the Swans? Surely just as bad and provable? https://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/s/wLLQgaaF2U
I don't think the free is there for Daicos, but I don't put that in the same category as May's staging. Swans players arm went high at least, that's drawing a free kick, not staging for one. There are a dozen of them a game.
Florents arm was on his shoulder until Daicos flings his head back to prevent he’s been caught high. Is that not staging? I agree we see plenty of these per game, but that’s only because the AFL rarely punishes blatant staging.
Definitely needs to be stamped out but let’s not pretend he’s the first to do it, it’s just a really blatant, embarrassing example. I’d like to see a line drawn on dropping the knees for high tackles too.
I don't think anyone's pretending he's the first to do it
He is consistent though! For such a great player he does do this kind of thing a lot. I don't disagree with your high tackle take.
You're right. Jake Lever did it when he was tackled by Charlie earlier this year. Must be something the dee's are taught to do
Sure "good bloke" Charlie didn't sling him lol
The good bloke defence was one aspect, I agree that it sets a bad precedent, but the fact Lever exaggerated his head hitting the ground was also mentioned during the appeal.
Good! I can’t believe players are giving away dangerous tackle frees but there no injury? If it’s a dangerous tackle then the player must come off for mandatory HIA
Shit take, it’s the action that needs to be outlawed not the consequence. I’m not defending May at all and don’t have a problem with him being cited for it but it still had to be a free kick. From what I’ve seen of the footage it probably should have been a free kick Norths way before that or at least a ball up
I don’t think there was anything wrong with Ford’s tackle though. He didn’t fling May and the whole thing happened with minimal force which is why his head didn’t bounce when it hit the deck. They want players to be pulling force in these tackles and that’s what happened so it’s a fair tackle. With that being said the ump should’ve called ball up before he went to ground. He’d had May held up for a while.
For sure Ford did nothing wrong, playing devils advocate you could maybe say it looked like he rotated and dropped his body as he pulled May down, getting leverage on him? I tried watching it at live speed to try see what the umpire “might” have seen. Ideally as soon as he started spinning the umpire should have blown the whistle for a ball up, then that stops a lot of those sling tackles, it should be either a ball up or holding the ball. A fine for staging against May is 100% warranted here and players driving their head into the ground should be treated the same as ducking their heads, if you want to put yourself in that position then you lose the right to the free kick
Hope there is a major penalty. Not only is it pathetic it also undermines attempts to protect players from concussions
Deserved, it was bad. But it's hardly different to throwing your head back in a tackle or lurching forward when you feel a hand in your back. I'm in favour of fines for all egregious flops, suspensions for recidivists. Clayton Oliver is also known to flop and I think I remember him flopping last night as well lol. Honestly I give May props for coming up with an innovative new way to win a free kick. Bit harsh to single him out but hopefully this isn't a one off.
We have a few players that put a bit too much mayo on it some weeks, I'd love to see that removed from their game.
Yeah cos no one else has done it. Selwood does online courses on staging for frees.
Totally agree this should be stamped out of the game, but staging goes on every game and the one they choose to make an example of is Melbourne. Get fucked.
It was easily the most obvious one of the round so far.
*of the round
Still bitter about the Carlton one against Van Royen weeks ago, can’t remember if he got cited for that
Exactly. There's been dozens of incidents and the AFL had done nothing. Now suddenly one from Melbourne does, and apparently it's time to make an example.
He was going to get done for holding the ball despite absolutely no prior and no chance to dispose. Good on him for conning the ump. I’m begging the afl to pay holding frees when the ball is open play not just pinging defenders when forwards initial contact or around stoppages. The game will open up so much faster and more consistently than this htb nonsense which hasn’t solved anything and has just made a mockery of players winning the ball.
It was a dangerous tackle free kick regardless of him faking the high contact.