logo
Demons' May in strife as Blues release pressure valve

Demons' May in strife as Blues release pressure valve

The Advertiser19-07-2025
Melbourne star Steven May is at the mercy of the match review officer after leaving Francis Evans bloodied and concussed in a huge collision during the Demons' eight-point loss to Carlton.
Patrick Cripps led from the front and unsung forward Ashton Moir kicked four goals in the Blues' 12.6 (78) to 10.10 (70) victory at the MCG on Saturday night.
It ended Carlton's four-match losing streak, improving their win-loss record to 7-11 for the season, and eased pressure on embattled coach Michael Voss.
But the biggest talking point out of the scrappy affair between two sides that won't play finals was two-time All-Australian defender May's third-quarter clash with Evans.
The two players attacked a loose ball from opposite directions and Evans arrived a fraction of a second earlier, taking possession before May clipped him high.
There did not appear to be any malice in the incident, though May's shoulder made contact with Evans' face and the Carlton forward was soon substituted out with concussion.
The Blues were waiting on further assessment to determine whether Evans suffered any more damage.
"Both players were in line with the ball and seemed to be attacking it ... both sort of making a play at the ball and maybe one person was one step late," Carlton coach Michael Voss said.
"Obviously then the incident happens, but for Frankie (Evans) to be able to hold his line with a pretty strong man coming the other way was a pretty important moment in the game."
May, who had treatment on his sore right shoulder, faces the prospect of being suspended for several weeks over the incident.
But he will miss at least one match regardless of the match review officer's findings, after being concussed himself from Tom De Koning's accidental knee to the head in a marking contest late in the match.
"Steve's whole intent was to get the ball, clearly," Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said of the Evans collision.
"You can see it when you slow it down, his whole intent was to get the ball.
"It's really unfortunate that you get a concussion in the game, and sometimes you can be concussed without (the player) being reported.
"It's going to be one of those ones where we'll have to go through the process, but if you just look at his pure intent, it was purely for the ball and it was unfortunate."
Scores were tied when the May-Evans collision occurred midway through the third term after Kysaiah Pickett had sparked Melbourne, who trailed by 19 points at half-time, back to life.
Moir converted the free-kick awarded to Evans for May's high contact, and Flynn Young's first AFL goal helped the Blues to a 10-point lead at the final change.
Bayley Fritsch got the Demons back within a kick with the first major of the final term, and the tight contest wasn't over until well after Charlie Curnow's long bomb gave Carlton breathing space with less than three minutes to play.
Blues spearhead Curnow ended his four-week goal drought with three majors, finishing with 15 disposals and eight marks opposed to May.
Cripps had 29 disposals and eight clearances for Carlton, and was at the centre of a half-time melee after a confrontation with rival skipper Max Gawn.
Pickett was outstanding for Melbourne with two first-quarter goals and a pair of brilliant snaps - one from each pocket - in the third term.
He finished with five goals from 23 touches, while Demons midfielder Clayton Oliver had 26 disposals and seven clearances in his 200th AFL game.
Melbourne's loss left them in 13th place with a 6-12 record.
Melbourne star Steven May is at the mercy of the match review officer after leaving Francis Evans bloodied and concussed in a huge collision during the Demons' eight-point loss to Carlton.
Patrick Cripps led from the front and unsung forward Ashton Moir kicked four goals in the Blues' 12.6 (78) to 10.10 (70) victory at the MCG on Saturday night.
It ended Carlton's four-match losing streak, improving their win-loss record to 7-11 for the season, and eased pressure on embattled coach Michael Voss.
But the biggest talking point out of the scrappy affair between two sides that won't play finals was two-time All-Australian defender May's third-quarter clash with Evans.
The two players attacked a loose ball from opposite directions and Evans arrived a fraction of a second earlier, taking possession before May clipped him high.
There did not appear to be any malice in the incident, though May's shoulder made contact with Evans' face and the Carlton forward was soon substituted out with concussion.
The Blues were waiting on further assessment to determine whether Evans suffered any more damage.
"Both players were in line with the ball and seemed to be attacking it ... both sort of making a play at the ball and maybe one person was one step late," Carlton coach Michael Voss said.
"Obviously then the incident happens, but for Frankie (Evans) to be able to hold his line with a pretty strong man coming the other way was a pretty important moment in the game."
May, who had treatment on his sore right shoulder, faces the prospect of being suspended for several weeks over the incident.
But he will miss at least one match regardless of the match review officer's findings, after being concussed himself from Tom De Koning's accidental knee to the head in a marking contest late in the match.
"Steve's whole intent was to get the ball, clearly," Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said of the Evans collision.
"You can see it when you slow it down, his whole intent was to get the ball.
"It's really unfortunate that you get a concussion in the game, and sometimes you can be concussed without (the player) being reported.
"It's going to be one of those ones where we'll have to go through the process, but if you just look at his pure intent, it was purely for the ball and it was unfortunate."
Scores were tied when the May-Evans collision occurred midway through the third term after Kysaiah Pickett had sparked Melbourne, who trailed by 19 points at half-time, back to life.
Moir converted the free-kick awarded to Evans for May's high contact, and Flynn Young's first AFL goal helped the Blues to a 10-point lead at the final change.
Bayley Fritsch got the Demons back within a kick with the first major of the final term, and the tight contest wasn't over until well after Charlie Curnow's long bomb gave Carlton breathing space with less than three minutes to play.
Blues spearhead Curnow ended his four-week goal drought with three majors, finishing with 15 disposals and eight marks opposed to May.
Cripps had 29 disposals and eight clearances for Carlton, and was at the centre of a half-time melee after a confrontation with rival skipper Max Gawn.
Pickett was outstanding for Melbourne with two first-quarter goals and a pair of brilliant snaps - one from each pocket - in the third term.
He finished with five goals from 23 touches, while Demons midfielder Clayton Oliver had 26 disposals and seven clearances in his 200th AFL game.
Melbourne's loss left them in 13th place with a 6-12 record.
Melbourne star Steven May is at the mercy of the match review officer after leaving Francis Evans bloodied and concussed in a huge collision during the Demons' eight-point loss to Carlton.
Patrick Cripps led from the front and unsung forward Ashton Moir kicked four goals in the Blues' 12.6 (78) to 10.10 (70) victory at the MCG on Saturday night.
It ended Carlton's four-match losing streak, improving their win-loss record to 7-11 for the season, and eased pressure on embattled coach Michael Voss.
But the biggest talking point out of the scrappy affair between two sides that won't play finals was two-time All-Australian defender May's third-quarter clash with Evans.
The two players attacked a loose ball from opposite directions and Evans arrived a fraction of a second earlier, taking possession before May clipped him high.
There did not appear to be any malice in the incident, though May's shoulder made contact with Evans' face and the Carlton forward was soon substituted out with concussion.
The Blues were waiting on further assessment to determine whether Evans suffered any more damage.
"Both players were in line with the ball and seemed to be attacking it ... both sort of making a play at the ball and maybe one person was one step late," Carlton coach Michael Voss said.
"Obviously then the incident happens, but for Frankie (Evans) to be able to hold his line with a pretty strong man coming the other way was a pretty important moment in the game."
May, who had treatment on his sore right shoulder, faces the prospect of being suspended for several weeks over the incident.
But he will miss at least one match regardless of the match review officer's findings, after being concussed himself from Tom De Koning's accidental knee to the head in a marking contest late in the match.
"Steve's whole intent was to get the ball, clearly," Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said of the Evans collision.
"You can see it when you slow it down, his whole intent was to get the ball.
"It's really unfortunate that you get a concussion in the game, and sometimes you can be concussed without (the player) being reported.
"It's going to be one of those ones where we'll have to go through the process, but if you just look at his pure intent, it was purely for the ball and it was unfortunate."
Scores were tied when the May-Evans collision occurred midway through the third term after Kysaiah Pickett had sparked Melbourne, who trailed by 19 points at half-time, back to life.
Moir converted the free-kick awarded to Evans for May's high contact, and Flynn Young's first AFL goal helped the Blues to a 10-point lead at the final change.
Bayley Fritsch got the Demons back within a kick with the first major of the final term, and the tight contest wasn't over until well after Charlie Curnow's long bomb gave Carlton breathing space with less than three minutes to play.
Blues spearhead Curnow ended his four-week goal drought with three majors, finishing with 15 disposals and eight marks opposed to May.
Cripps had 29 disposals and eight clearances for Carlton, and was at the centre of a half-time melee after a confrontation with rival skipper Max Gawn.
Pickett was outstanding for Melbourne with two first-quarter goals and a pair of brilliant snaps - one from each pocket - in the third term.
He finished with five goals from 23 touches, while Demons midfielder Clayton Oliver had 26 disposals and seven clearances in his 200th AFL game.
Melbourne's loss left them in 13th place with a 6-12 record.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Wiebes wins chaotic sprint in Tour de France Femmes
Wiebes wins chaotic sprint in Tour de France Femmes

The Advertiser

time2 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Wiebes wins chaotic sprint in Tour de France Femmes

Lorena Wiebes has prevailed in a chaotic sprint to claim victory in the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes, edging fellow Dutch rider Marianne Vos who took the overall lead after a 163.5km ride from La Gacilly to Angers. Sprint specialist Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), who narrowly lost stage two to Mavi Garcia, made an explosive push for the finish as a crash 3.7 km from the finish temporarily took out several riders including 2023 champion Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez). Opening stage winner Vos (Visma–Lease a Bike) lost a photo-finish to Wiebes but thanks to the six-second pace bonus reclaimed the yellow jersey from Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal), who led the general classification after Sunday's second stage but dropped to second with that six-second deficit. New Zealand's Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) finished third. Wollaston's teammate Vollering, who recovered from the crash but had to be helped to the finish by teammates, is now fifth in the general classification, sitting 19 seconds behind Vos, still in contention assuming she has recovered from any injuries sustained in her fall. "It was very hectic... I think when we went right on to the river there was a big crash behind me. I hope everyone is well," Vos said. Sara Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) was the first Australian over the line on Monday, placed 77th with the bulk of the peloton given the same time as the winner, the crash having been inside the final 5km. Gigante is 19th overall, 45 seconds behind Vos The stage, mostly on a flat terrain, began without Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini, who withdrew from the race due to a stomach infection. Four riders made an early attack to form the leading pack, with Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatly) winning a mountain sprint to the top of Cote de La Richardiere. But others slowly caught up, with Lotte Kopecky expertly leading her teammate Wiebes to the front, setting up the final sprint just before the crash derailed a number of riders behind them leaving a group of just over 20 to contest the final sprint.. The Tour continues on Tuesday with stage four, a 130.7km ride from Saumur to Poitiers through another mostly-flat terrain. Lorena Wiebes has prevailed in a chaotic sprint to claim victory in the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes, edging fellow Dutch rider Marianne Vos who took the overall lead after a 163.5km ride from La Gacilly to Angers. Sprint specialist Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), who narrowly lost stage two to Mavi Garcia, made an explosive push for the finish as a crash 3.7 km from the finish temporarily took out several riders including 2023 champion Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez). Opening stage winner Vos (Visma–Lease a Bike) lost a photo-finish to Wiebes but thanks to the six-second pace bonus reclaimed the yellow jersey from Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal), who led the general classification after Sunday's second stage but dropped to second with that six-second deficit. New Zealand's Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) finished third. Wollaston's teammate Vollering, who recovered from the crash but had to be helped to the finish by teammates, is now fifth in the general classification, sitting 19 seconds behind Vos, still in contention assuming she has recovered from any injuries sustained in her fall. "It was very hectic... I think when we went right on to the river there was a big crash behind me. I hope everyone is well," Vos said. Sara Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) was the first Australian over the line on Monday, placed 77th with the bulk of the peloton given the same time as the winner, the crash having been inside the final 5km. Gigante is 19th overall, 45 seconds behind Vos The stage, mostly on a flat terrain, began without Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini, who withdrew from the race due to a stomach infection. Four riders made an early attack to form the leading pack, with Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatly) winning a mountain sprint to the top of Cote de La Richardiere. But others slowly caught up, with Lotte Kopecky expertly leading her teammate Wiebes to the front, setting up the final sprint just before the crash derailed a number of riders behind them leaving a group of just over 20 to contest the final sprint.. The Tour continues on Tuesday with stage four, a 130.7km ride from Saumur to Poitiers through another mostly-flat terrain. Lorena Wiebes has prevailed in a chaotic sprint to claim victory in the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes, edging fellow Dutch rider Marianne Vos who took the overall lead after a 163.5km ride from La Gacilly to Angers. Sprint specialist Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), who narrowly lost stage two to Mavi Garcia, made an explosive push for the finish as a crash 3.7 km from the finish temporarily took out several riders including 2023 champion Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez). Opening stage winner Vos (Visma–Lease a Bike) lost a photo-finish to Wiebes but thanks to the six-second pace bonus reclaimed the yellow jersey from Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal), who led the general classification after Sunday's second stage but dropped to second with that six-second deficit. New Zealand's Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) finished third. Wollaston's teammate Vollering, who recovered from the crash but had to be helped to the finish by teammates, is now fifth in the general classification, sitting 19 seconds behind Vos, still in contention assuming she has recovered from any injuries sustained in her fall. "It was very hectic... I think when we went right on to the river there was a big crash behind me. I hope everyone is well," Vos said. Sara Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) was the first Australian over the line on Monday, placed 77th with the bulk of the peloton given the same time as the winner, the crash having been inside the final 5km. Gigante is 19th overall, 45 seconds behind Vos The stage, mostly on a flat terrain, began without Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini, who withdrew from the race due to a stomach infection. Four riders made an early attack to form the leading pack, with Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatly) winning a mountain sprint to the top of Cote de La Richardiere. But others slowly caught up, with Lotte Kopecky expertly leading her teammate Wiebes to the front, setting up the final sprint just before the crash derailed a number of riders behind them leaving a group of just over 20 to contest the final sprint.. The Tour continues on Tuesday with stage four, a 130.7km ride from Saumur to Poitiers through another mostly-flat terrain.

Craig Hutchison's rise from Footy Show bombing to media mogul
Craig Hutchison's rise from Footy Show bombing to media mogul

News.com.au

time2 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Craig Hutchison's rise from Footy Show bombing to media mogul

2017 was a big year for media mogul Craig Hutchison. Not only did he become the owner of a radio station, he also took over as the lead host of the iconic The Footy Show, thanks to James Brayshaw's contract war with Channel Nine. Garry Lyon had already left the show in 2016 and Hutchison had been the host of the Sunday Footy Show and Footy Classified and was one of the most high-profile choices available in Nine's stable. 'Hutchy' was following in the footsteps of one of his idols in Eddie McGuire — taking the hot seat on one of the country's longest-running shows. But the revamped version of the Thursday night staple bombed, and Hutchison was outed in July that year and McGuire back in the hosting chair, a stinging blow. 'To me Eddie McGuire was where he wanted to be, he modelled himself on Eddie,' Hutchison's former colleague at the Herald Sun, Jon Anderson, said. The final straw was Hutchison's co-star Sam Newman delivering a silent protest after being muzzled by the network on certain topics. 'I've always been one of those polarising guys,' Hutchison said on SEN radio the day after his Footy Show sacking. That blow may have however, helped create a media empire, as Hutchison expanded his SEN horizons, bringing on massive names across the country including Matty Johns in Sydney, Ian Healy in Brisbane, Adam Gilchrist in Perth and Garry Lyon and Tim Watson in Melbourne. But the rise of SEN hasn't always been linear, with Sports Entertainment Group losing $9.2 million in a year and racing against a deadline to pay a $28 million Commonwealth Bank loan in late 2023. Hutchison had been in preliminary meetings about selling the company before a buyer appeared for his NBL team, the Perth Wildcats. The deal valued the Wildcats at $40m, with $21 million paid in August 2024, another $15m in to be paid in June 2026 and a final $4 million in June 2028, which wiped out the debt that may have crippled his company. Hutchison is still in the hosting chair however, leading the way in Channel 7's revamped football coverage as the host of The Agenda Setters on Monday nights. The move from Nine to Seven was not without creating some headlines, as Hutchison took with him the opinionated Kane Cornes and his long-time friend Caroline Wilson to spearhead a new era. Wilson, who is one of the few people to call him Craig, often drove Hutchison home after filming Footy Classified each week for 17 years. But that close friendship hasn't held the two back from their own on-air frost on set, with the two arguing about a joke Wilson recently made about Hutchison's brutal axing of talent at RSN.

Wiebes wins chaotic sprint in Tour de France Femmes
Wiebes wins chaotic sprint in Tour de France Femmes

Perth Now

time2 hours ago

  • Perth Now

Wiebes wins chaotic sprint in Tour de France Femmes

Lorena Wiebes has prevailed in a chaotic sprint to claim victory in the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes, edging fellow Dutch rider Marianne Vos who took the overall lead after a 163.5km ride from La Gacilly to Angers. Sprint specialist Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), who narrowly lost stage two to Mavi Garcia, made an explosive push for the finish as a crash 3.7 km from the finish temporarily took out several riders including 2023 champion Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez). Opening stage winner Vos (Visma–Lease a Bike) lost a photo-finish to Wiebes but thanks to the six-second pace bonus reclaimed the yellow jersey from Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal), who led the general classification after Sunday's second stage but dropped to second with that six-second deficit. New Zealand's Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) finished third. Wollaston's teammate Vollering, who recovered from the crash but had to be helped to the finish by teammates, is now fifth in the general classification, sitting 19 seconds behind Vos, still in contention assuming she has recovered from any injuries sustained in her fall. "It was very hectic... I think when we went right on to the river there was a big crash behind me. I hope everyone is well," Vos said. Sara Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal) was the first Australian over the line on Monday, placed 77th with the bulk of the peloton given the same time as the winner, the crash having been inside the final 5km. Gigante is 19th overall, 45 seconds behind Vos The stage, mostly on a flat terrain, began without Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini, who withdrew from the race due to a stomach infection. Four riders made an early attack to form the leading pack, with Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatly) winning a mountain sprint to the top of Cote de La Richardiere. But others slowly caught up, with Lotte Kopecky expertly leading her teammate Wiebes to the front, setting up the final sprint just before the crash derailed a number of riders behind them leaving a group of just over 20 to contest the final sprint.. The Tour continues on Tuesday with stage four, a 130.7km ride from Saumur to Poitiers through another mostly-flat terrain.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store