Cornes: Is May worth the trouble amid latest police reports

SEN • February 2nd, 2026 11:04 am

When is a player too much trouble?

That is the question Kane Cornes was asking after reading another Steven May report over the weekend.

The Herald Sun reported: “Police have attended the home of Melbourne footballer Steven May following reports of threatening behaviour.

“It is understood somebody close to the troubled defender made the call to police.

“The Demons defender, who was put on the trade table at the end of last season, was spoken to by officers on Thursday.

“There is no suggestion that May was arrested this week.”

It comes off the back of charges against him relating to a fight in Sorrento in December 2024.

The fresh report had Cornes wondering if Melbourne should have parted ways with the 34-year-old defender.

“When is a player too much trouble? I speak of Steven May,” Kane said on SEN’s Fireball.

“I read a report in the Herald Sun over the weekend that police have had to visit his house. There’s no charges and I’m certainly not going to say he’s guilty of anything, but it’s just another news story in relation to a player that has been nothing but trouble for a fair time now.

“He was on the trade table in the off-season, and at 34 his form doesn’t warrant this amount of trouble. I think you’re prepared to put up with a level of off-field distraction if your form is good. Geelong are pretty happy to put up with Bailey Smith’s off-field distractions because his form is pretty good.

“Steven May is nowhere near that level anymore and with the fact they’ve moved on from Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca, it feels like a bit of a new footy club with a new coach (Steven King). But we’ve still got this guy causing issues off-field for the Melbourne footy club.

“When is it too much trouble?”

Cornes referenced a few of May’s misdemeanours which includes the infamous Entrecôte bust-up.

“There’s no suggestion that May was arrested, there were no charges, but his name is in the paper again,” Cornes continued.

“We’ve got Entrecôte, we’ve got Jake Melksham, we’ve got May blowing up with Max Gawn on the field - this guy is too much trouble.

“I’m not suggesting any of these one things are enough to go ‘bang, you’re done’. But it’s death by a thousand cuts, isn’t it?

“When the club is trying for a fresh start, to try and rebuild a culture that was very much questionable, they’ve moved on from Simon Goodwin, Oliver and Petracca are gone - yet Steven May is still occupying real estate in then Herald Sun for things unrelated to football.”

Co-host King somewhat defended the veteran regarding what was actually reported.

“If there is something to answer then write it,” King said.

“That to me just stops short of making an allegation or reporting on something that the police had to intervene with.

“I understand what you’re saying, but until something either happens with this or doesn’t, it shouldn’t be printed.

“So, what can you do now?”

Cornes replied, again throwing out the notion of cutting him from your future plans.

“Steven May seems to run his own race and has done for a long period of time,” he said further.

“It’s fine when you’re winning and you’re an All-Australian defender but when you’re getting six goals kicked on you by Jack Gunston and you can’t run, I’m just not sure the club is willing to put up with this level of distraction.

“They’re not a genuine finals contender. A handshake, been great, premiership player, instrumental to our success, heroic Grand Final performance with a tear in your hamstring, but now it’s time for us to shake hands and part ways, here’s your cheque and we wish you well.

“That’s what I would have done.

“He cannot hide his body language. When he’s in a bad mood, when he’s playing poorly it affects the whole team.

“I don’t know how Max Gawn puts up with him to be fair. Gawn is a marvel the way he leads his footy club and puts up with that.

“When is a player too much trouble is the question I’d like to ask.”