Steven May's AFL career hanging by a thread
The veteran Melbourne defender has taken indefinite leave from the club.
7news.com.auHere’s the latest widely reported information about Steven May:
- In early February 2026, Melbourne veteran Steven May took several days away from training to “navigate his personal situation,” with Victoria Police having attended his home the previous week. The club stated it would not comment further at that time [source coverage from SEN and AFL.com.au] [cite ][cite ].
- The AFL Integrity Unit indicated it was monitoring May’s situation as the club kept the league informed, while May’s absence from training continued amid ongoing legal proceedings stemming from a late-2024 incident in which he and Dion Prestia faced charges; Melbourne and the league had not provided further public details [cite ][cite ].
- Reports during this period noted May was a restricted free agent at season’s end and that there was substantial attention on his off-field situation, his long AFL career, and his status with Melbourne going forward [cite ][cite ].
What this means right now:
- May’s football future with Melbourne or elsewhere remains uncertain while off-field matters are resolved, and he has not been active at training during the reported period in February 2026 [cite ][cite ].
- There are ongoing league and club formalities around the incident, but no definitive public update confirming new charges or a club decision has been issued in the latest round of reporting [cite ][cite ].
Would you like me to pull the most current, publicly available statements from Melbourne FC or AFL sources and provide a concise timeline with links? I can also look for any recent developments beyond February 2026 if you’d like.