The Western Bulldogs have been urged to reconsider their stance on Steven May, with AFL pundit David King insisting the Melbourne veteran still has plenty to offer despite being pushed to look for a new club.
May, 33, has a year left on his deal with the Demons, but is expected to be moved on as Steven King begins a youth-first rebuild.
That leaves the two-time All-Australian and 2021 premiership player searching for a lifeline elsewhere after 128 games in red and blue, on top of 123 appearances for Gold Coast.
‘You want to make sure you’ve got better than Steven May’
Speaking on SEN’s Fireball, King argued that a club like the Bulldogs, whose backline has lacked stability, should not dismiss May’s value too quickly.
“I don’t mind this type of player,” King said. “Everyone says he’s a bad egg, but he's been a high-level competitor and performer. I don't mind the fact this guy has been tipped out. He will be angry next year, wherever he plays. Maybe no one takes a risk on him, but you want to make sure you have got better at your disposal than Steven May.
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“I’m looking at the Dogs, and their back six needs something. I don’t know if they have someone else in mind. I want to see who they can get, but May is someone I think could help their back six.”
While Melbourne weigh up paying out the defender’s final year, King believes the honesty of such conversations is part of football’s cycle. Whether or not the Bulldogs seize the chance, May’s future looms as one of the more intriguing storylines of the upcoming off-season.