Melbourne star Steven May faces a lengthy ban for a controversial collision that concussed Carlton’s Francis Evans after being referred directly to the tribunal.

Despite Melbourne and Carlton’s coaches defending May, the All-Australian defender has been cited for rough conduct.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Steven May in hot water for high bump on Francis Evans.

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today

The AFL’s match review officer Michael Christian graded May’s contact as careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.

May and Evans clashed at speed while attacking a loose ball in the Blues’ eight-point win at the MCG on Saturday night.

Evans arrived a fraction of a second earlier than his opponent, getting his hands to the ball before May caught him high.

Blues coach Michael Voss believed May’s act was fair.

“Both players were in line with the ball and seemed to be attacking it,” he said post-match.

“Both sort of making a play at the ball, maybe one person was one step late, and 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.”

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said May’s intent was “clearly” to win the ball.

“If you just look at his pure intent, it was purely for the ball and it was unfortunate,” he said.

Goodwin said the AFL was doing an “unbelievable” job in trying to eradicate concussion from the game.

“It’s important that we limit it as much as we can but there will be football incidents where someone is concussed,” he said.

Fox Footy commentators Jason Dunstall and Nathan Buckley initially wondered what else May could do in that situation.

“It’s a tough one isn’t it. He didn’t lift the arm, he was desperate to go for the ball, he kept the hands down for the ball ... probably these days you have to step out of the way don’t you,“ he said.

Buckley said it came down a split second and May might have thought he was going to win the ball.

“I don’t know whether our game is capable of allowing that anymore. We’re trying to legislate that outcome, not the intent, we’re taking that outcome out of the game. I don’t know, other than not compete, what can Steven May do there,” he said.

“What do we expect Steven May to do in that situation? To not compete, to not contest or is there something he could have done a split second to mitigate against that injury occurring.”

But fellow commentator David King said May “picked off” Evans and called for a six-week suspension.

“He picked him off. It’s as simple as that,” he said.

“He knew exactly what he was doing and he picked him off. This is from a bygone era. This is not 2025.

“He’s played his last game for the season. That’s as bad as it gets, you’ve got a player in vulnerable position, you choose to bump, you hit nothing but the absolute middle of his face.

“This is a six-weeker for me. It doesn’t get worse than that.”

May will miss Round 20 regardless of the tribunal outcome after being concussed himself in a separate incident.

He sustained an accidental knee to the back of the head late in the match when Carlton ruck Tom De Koning flew to take a spectacular a mark.

- with www.20304050.best