For the third consecutive week, Gold Coast SUNS key defender Steven May was handed the assignment of stopping one of the premier spearheads in the game and that’s exactly what he did. First it was Jeremy Cameron, and then Taylor Walker. This week it was Coleman medal leader Josh Kennedy.
 
In a masterful four-quarter performance, May kept West Coast star Kennedy to just six touches and three marks. The Eagle finished with two goals, with one no fault of May’s, prompting Rodney Eade to identify his prized defender as the most influential player on the ground in his post-match press conference.
 
May praised an undermanned and inexperienced midfield for preventing a star-studded West Coast engine room from delivering the ball inside 50 on a platter. With so much class sitting in the sidelines, the likes of Touk Miller, Jesse Lonergan, Luke Russell and Aaron Hall stepped up against quality opposition.
 
“I’ll be honest, I thought there were going to be a lot more clean inside 50s coming into Kennedy. Because of the wealth of talent they’ve got in there and the structure they’ve got and their continuity,” May told SUNS RAW after the draw with West Coast at Metricon Stadium.
 
“All I said to the midfield was boys ‘I just want your effort to be there and just put pressure on.' They did, they were amazing.
 
“For a group that’s very young, I think that was their first game in the midfield together, I thought they were very, very good.
 
“I knew this week there was a very young midfield against probably the best midfield, and there was a risk of them being daunted by the occasion.
 
“‘Rocket’ said before the game about resilience and about standing up in these sort of situations. I was very proud of the midfield and forwards today.”
 
Tom Lynch’s clutch goal just before the final siren to tie the scores epitomises his standing inside Metricon Stadium. The key forward assumed the role of captain in Gary Ablett and Michael Rischitelli’s absence and continued his strong run of form.
 
The SUNS key forward might not draw the plaudits he deserves down south, but May explained how highly rated Lynch is at the Gold Coast SUNS, particularly in regards to his leadership.
 
“Tommy Lynch is a star. He’s probably underrated, not in our walls, we really rate him,” May said.
 
“I was rapt he got the captaincy this week and I know he’s the type of guy that will thrive off that and really grow a leg. That last contest, that was a clutch moment.
 
“That’s what you want from your skipper as we’ve seen ‘Gaz’ do so many times. It’s a big ask to ask a young forward to replicate what ‘Gaz’ does but he did it in his own way. I’m very proud of him. It was a great effort.”