Melbourne Football Club Apologizes for Private Meeting Involving Players’ Partners
The Melbourne Football Club has issued an apology following a pre-season meeting between senior club officials and the partners of players, which allegedly involved the disclosure of private information about former star Steven May. The incident has raised concerns about privacy and the handling of sensitive matters within the club.
The meeting, held in February, was attended by around 15 partners of the players. Club chief executive Paul Guerra, coach Steven King, and football department boss Alan Richardson were present. According to reports, the purpose of the meeting was to introduce themselves to the partners and address “a matter that impacts the football program.” However, the discussion quickly turned personal, leading to allegations of confidentiality breaches.
A whistleblower who participated in the call claimed that private details about Steven May and his partner Sachi Dade’s relationship were shared. It is also alleged that inappropriate information was discussed during the 20-minute meeting. At the time, May was on personal leave from the club, and police had conducted a welfare check at a private residence on January 29. No charges were laid, and the matter was later closed. May officially retired from the club last month after splitting from the Demons.
In a statement released to the media, the club acknowledged the meeting took place. The statement read: “The meeting sought to provide reassurance of the club’s commitment to supporting the families as well as the playing group. Whilst it was not our intent, we acknowledge the meeting has caused distress and for that the club is sorry.”
According to SEN, Richardson, a veteran football department figure and former St Kilda coach, reportedly outlined the purpose of the meeting to the wives and girlfriends. He mentioned that the meeting followed conversations with some leaders regarding the situation involving May. Richardson allegedly said:
“This catch-up was on the back of a conversation with some leaders in the wake of what’s happened with Maysie. They thought it would be good to catch up. What we do know is last Thursday the police were called to the family home. It was a combination of a welfare check because Sachi was concerned a bit about Steve, because he’s had some challenges. But clearly there’d been some challenges between Steve and Sachi. That’s pretty clear. There’s a lot of work to be done. Steven has agreed to do some personal growth work.”
Concerns were raised about the nature of the meeting, which was described as “introductory” but quickly became personal. There were suggestions that May was being accused of an offence without any evidence being presented. Additionally, no welfare officer was present during the call.
The AFL Players’ Association has referred the matter to the AFL, although they have not made a public comment. The AFL has asked the Melbourne Football Club to investigate the incident, and the league office has been closely monitoring the situation.
Richardson was also reported to have said during the meeting: “Can we all just make sure we keep this information to ourselves?” He added that this was unusual, noting previous issues with players like Clayton Oliver. He emphasized that this situation involved a partner, which made it different from past incidents.
Guerra, according to SEN, stated that the club would not ignore the issue. He said: “This [the May situation] will not be swept under the carpet. We need to understand that our objective is that we have people living to the standards we want that work and operate inside the Melbourne Football Club … that’s everybody. If they can’t, then we will have conversations with them about what that may look like for them going forward.”
King, a rookie senior coach, allegedly said: “I want our football club to be a welcoming place where everyone can come. Character is, obviously, a massive part of my values and what I look for in footballers and people as well … it’s really important we address with you tonight the Maysie stuff.”
As the situation unfolds, the club continues to face scrutiny over how it handles sensitive matters involving players and their families. The focus remains on ensuring that such incidents do not happen again and that the club maintains a supportive and respectful environment for all members.
