AFL players will adapt to May's appeal verdict: Goodwin

The Advertiser

3 days ago

Simon Goodwin remains hopeful Melbourne star Steven May will beat his rough conduct charge but insists players will adapt to a changing landscape if the club's appeal fails.
May was handed a three-match ban by the AFL Tribunal on Wednesday night over the high-speed collision that left Carlton's Francis Evans with concussion, a broken nose and a missing tooth.
But the All Australian defender has maintained the ball was always his focus and will take his case to the league's Appeals Board next week.
"We think he had a play on the ball and it was a football incident," Demons coach Goodwin said on Friday.
"From my perspective, that's ultimately the argument that we'll go with.
"Clearly there's some legal stuff that they'll go through in terms of the case as part of the appeal.
"But you can see it's divided a lot of the public and I think it's one of those cases where everyone wants it to go through the appeals (process) and see what the outcome is going to be."
Goodwin said May was "devastated and shattered".
"Right from the outset when he first came to the bench, he was a little bit confused and thought he'd done the right thing and gone at the footy," Goodwin said.
"He was shattered, he was disappointed with the outcome and clearly frustrated.
"This is part of the process, go through the appeals, get the clarity required and we'll all move forward post that."
Goodwin said players will adapt with the more information they get from the AFL about how they are required to act in certain scenarios.
The 2021 premiership coach referenced the aerial contest between Fremantle captain Alex Pearce and Port Adelaide's Darcy Byrne-Jones, which caused similar controversy to the May-Evans collision.
Pearce was handed a three-match ban before overturning it on appeal.
"This is part of the game," Goodwin said.
"We're learning more and more about the game and what's required in the game, and what the players need to do in the game, especially around concussion.
"But if you look at the Alex Pearce case, these cases go all the way through to the appeals and you get more information."
May is recovering from his own concussion, ruled out of Sunday's clash with St Kilda after an accidental knee to the head from Carlton's Tom De Koning.
"He seems in good spirits and he's obviously stepping through his protocols in the right manner," Goodwin said.
Simon Goodwin remains hopeful Melbourne star Steven May will beat his rough conduct charge but insists players will adapt to a changing landscape if the club's appeal fails.
May was handed a three-match ban by the AFL Tribunal on Wednesday night over the high-speed collision that left Carlton's Francis Evans with concussion, a broken nose and a missing tooth.
But the All Australian defender has maintained the ball was always his focus and will take his case to the league's Appeals Board next week.
"We think he had a play on the ball and it was a football incident," Demons coach Goodwin said on Friday.
"From my perspective, that's ultimately the argument that we'll go with.
"Clearly there's some legal stuff that they'll go through in terms of the case as part of the appeal.
"But you can see it's divided a lot of the public and I think it's one of those cases where everyone wants it to go through the appeals (process) and see what the outcome is going to be."
Goodwin said May was "devastated and shattered".
"Right from the outset when he first came to the bench, he was a little bit confused and thought he'd done the right thing and gone at the footy," Goodwin said.
"He was shattered, he was disappointed with the outcome and clearly frustrated.
"This is part of the process, go through the appeals, get the clarity required and we'll all move forward post that."
Goodwin said players will adapt with the more information they get from the AFL about how they are required to act in certain scenarios.
The 2021 premiership coach referenced the aerial contest between Fremantle captain Alex Pearce and Port Adelaide's Darcy Byrne-Jones, which caused similar controversy to the May-Evans collision.
Pearce was handed a three-match ban before overturning it on appeal.
"This is part of the game," Goodwin said.
"We're learning more and more about the game and what's required in the game, and what the players need to do in the game, especially around concussion.
"But if you look at the Alex Pearce case, these cases go all the way through to the appeals and you get more information."
May is recovering from his own concussion, ruled out of Sunday's clash with St Kilda after an accidental knee to the head from Carlton's Tom De Koning.
"He seems in good spirits and he's obviously stepping through his protocols in the right manner," Goodwin said.
Simon Goodwin remains hopeful Melbourne star Steven May will beat his rough conduct charge but insists players will adapt to a changing landscape if the club's appeal fails.
May was handed a three-match ban by the AFL Tribunal on Wednesday night over the high-speed collision that left Carlton's Francis Evans with concussion, a broken nose and a missing tooth.
But the All Australian defender has maintained the ball was always his focus and will take his case to the league's Appeals Board next week.
"We think he had a play on the ball and it was a football incident," Demons coach Goodwin said on Friday.
"From my perspective, that's ultimately the argument that we'll go with.
"Clearly there's some legal stuff that they'll go through in terms of the case as part of the appeal.
"But you can see it's divided a lot of the public and I think it's one of those cases where everyone wants it to go through the appeals (process) and see what the outcome is going to be."
Goodwin said May was "devastated and shattered".
"Right from the outset when he first came to the bench, he was a little bit confused and thought he'd done the right thing and gone at the footy," Goodwin said.
"He was shattered, he was disappointed with the outcome and clearly frustrated.
"This is part of the process, go through the appeals, get the clarity required and we'll all move forward post that."
Goodwin said players will adapt with the more information they get from the AFL about how they are required to act in certain scenarios.
The 2021 premiership coach referenced the aerial contest between Fremantle captain Alex Pearce and Port Adelaide's Darcy Byrne-Jones, which caused similar controversy to the May-Evans collision.
Pearce was handed a three-match ban before overturning it on appeal.
"This is part of the game," Goodwin said.
"We're learning more and more about the game and what's required in the game, and what the players need to do in the game, especially around concussion.
"But if you look at the Alex Pearce case, these cases go all the way through to the appeals and you get more information."
May is recovering from his own concussion, ruled out of Sunday's clash with St Kilda after an accidental knee to the head from Carlton's Tom De Koning.
"He seems in good spirits and he's obviously stepping through his protocols in the right manner," Goodwin said.