According to Hawks Great and former Demons teammate Jordan Lewis, the feud with several Melbourne players is evidence of an “automatic split” at the club since last year’s premiership.
After a perfect 10-0 start to the season and a 17-game winning streak, the reigning Premier season has taken the last fortnight worse, both on and off the field.
The feud between Premiership defender Steven May and Jack Melaksham has further complicated the two direct losses to Fremantle and Sydney, and new reports shed more light on the cause of the clash between the pair.
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Although it was initially believed that the disagreement was entirely between May and Melaksham, a report in The Edge revealed that Melaksham had taken steps to protect a teammate who had drawn the ire of an All-Australian defender.
According to the report, Melkasham “challenged” Mack about his behavior when May sledged defender Joel Smith, who organized the rally at the Prahran restaurant, Entreco. Smith missed last year’s grand final due to an injury in the qualifying final.
Instead of persuading, Melaksham’s efforts were instrumental in pacifying why he was not given a club-imposed suspension despite injuries to his hands.
Four-time Hawthorne Premiership star Jordan Lewis, who was a teammate of both May and Melcosham in his final season, explained how problems can arise at a club in the year after winning the Premiership.
“Once you win a premiership, there is an automatic split in the football club – whether you like it or not,” Lewis told Fox Footy’s. AFL360.
“Being involved in a club and being one of those players who was lucky enough to succeed would be a line I would never tell another teammate.
“It simply came to our notice then.
“If something happens where a player gets drunk and he falls on his face, you will forgive and forget that player. But the personal attacks that used to happen at dinner are hard to overcome.”
James Hermes and Michael Hibbard were also believed to be present when the incident occurred and Gown publicly reprimanded the other players present for breaking the team rules and not calling May for drinking.
“There was a group of six or seven. And Steven was drinking with them and I talked to all the parties involved and especially five people outside of Steve and Jack and I express my frustration,” the Demons captain said Wednesday. .
“Of course, this is a difficult situation and at any time this person is an old leader of the football club, but we hope our youngsters will be able to lead and it was really disappointing.”
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