Steven May won't feature in Melbourne's next two games after his ban was upheld at the AFL Appeals Board on Monday night.

The Dees sought to overturn a three-match ban handed to their star defender at the tribunal last week for rough conduct on Carlton's Francis Evans.

Evans was left bloodied and concussed following a heavy collision between the pair where May's shoulder connected with the Blue's head during a contest for a rolling ball.

Melbourne believed they had a 'strong case' to have the matter viewed as a football act, despite the unfortunate result for Evans.

In what was framed as a landmark case for the tribunal, a cohort of football pundits and players had held similar views.

May had stated his intention was to win the Sherrin, however the panel last week determined May could have better anticipated the collision and changed his approach to the ball.

The Appeals Board didn't accept the Demons' case that no reasonable tribunal would expect a player to anticipate the trajectory of a bouncing ball in dispute.

A final bounce of the rolling ball rose into Evans' grasp, with May arriving momentarily later to the contest.

Francis Evans has been subbed out of the game following this incident involving Steven May.#AFLBluesDees pic.twitter.com/TmTKlkXZwD

— AFL (@AFL) July 19, 2025

Melbourne's case was put forward for more than an hour.

The Appeals did not accept their attempts to overturn the decision.

May did not appear on Monday night.

"As we've said previously, we believed we had a strong case. Steven's sole intention was to win the ball, and we maintain that he approached the contest in a reasonable manner given the circumstances," Melbourne general manager of football Alan Richardson said.

"While we are disappointed with the Appeals Board's decision, we respect the process and the outcome they have come to."

May is unavailable for the club's upcoming matches against West Coast and the Bulldogs.

He missed the weekend's dramatic loss to St Kilda with his own concussion suffered against Carlton, which doubled as the first week of his ban.