The Western Bulldogs have been backed to make a play for veteran defender Steven May.
In the wake of their loss to Fremantle on Sunday, Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge intimated that defensive reinforcements were needed for a club that led the competition in points for in 2025.
May, a two-time All Australian and premiership winner with the Dees, had a down year on a disappointing Melbourne side that is chasing a new coach and could be facing a rebuild.
Hawthorn great Luke Hodge felt the 33-year-old May shifting to the Dogs could be a solid fit for both parties.
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“I am actually not a no for this,” Hodge told SEN. “You look at Melbourne and he is their best defender. It’s May and then everyone is built off him.
“Sometimes when you make a change as a senior player you come across and go, 'I’m not the most important person in this defence. I have to play second fiddle to the young guys coming through, if that means I play a game where I have five touches, who cares because I’m here to teach and educate the young guys'.
“If you’re sitting back and going the big thing for the Doggies is the stable defence when a good team comes at them, you know May is stable.
“You know that he’ll be calm, you know that he’ll be able to direct and inform blokes.
“What he has to get into his head is this (move) might (lead to) the worst personal stats of his career, but it’s the best thing for the football club.
“Bevo (Luke Beveridge) would have to be very clear with that, 'You’re coming over not to be the best you, you’re coming over to be the best team person to help us become a better defence'.
“If you get in senior blokes to young teams that are down or to fill a void, it's not about you anymore, its about coming in and playing a role.”
May, who is contracted through 2026, would likely have to take a pay cut to switch to the Bulldogs.
The Demons finished a lowly 14th in 2025, while the Bulldogs are set to miss the finals if the Suns beat Essendon on Wednesday night.