Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd has conceded that Steven May‘s three-match suspension for his contentious bump on Carlton’s Francis Evans is standard in today’s game.

Following a lengthy deliberation by the AFL tribunal on Wednesday night, May received a three-match ban for the nasty incident that left Evans bloodied and resulted in him being substituted out of the match at the MCG on Saturday.

With May suspended based on outcome rather than intent, Lloyd believed Melbourne would appeal this week.

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Speaking on Nine’s Today, Lloyd admitted that he was not surprised by the decision.

“It’s been [the case] for years now that if you execute a bump of any kind, whether it’s accidental or not, and you hit someone in the head,” he said.

“[Francis] had his teeth knocked out, a broken nose.”

Lloyd added: “I’ve got my head around the fact now. I used to be outraged a year or two ago, but I’m not anymore. I just expect that players will now be suspended.”

May was referred straight to the tribunal for the hit.

The MRO deemed the incident careless with severe impact and high contract, with the Demons entering a plea of not guilty and claiming it was “not unreasonable”.

On Wednesday night, the AFL argued that May had breached the “duty of care” and should have been able to “change his momentum or trajectory” before colliding with the Blues player.

Melbourne also attempted to use a text message exchange between May and Evans as part of their evidence, which the AFL sought to have dismissed due to late submission.

After an hour and 40 minutes of deliberation, May’s suspension was upheld.

With the speed of the modern game, Lloyd accepted that it was difficult for May to avoid head-high.

“The tribunal said that he needed to slow down or change direction,” he said.

“You can’t do that as a footballer, but I just know with concussion and where it has got to with lawsuits against the game, that players will get suspended more than not.

“When you’re fully committing, it’s a split-second decision; you have to try and get lower.

“He was going for the football, and he saw it late. He had to pull out [but] got Frankie Evans in the head.

“Straight away, I knew he would get three weeks with where the game is going.”

May is now ruled out of Melbourne’s upcoming fixtures against St Kilda, West Coast and the Western Bulldogs.

The premiership-winning defender gave evidence at the tribunal, claiming he believed he was “going to get to the ball first” and couldn’t pull out of contact with Evans.

“I just can’t believe I didn’t take possession,” May said at the hearing.

“I thought I did everything right, so I’m just a bit shocked.”

With these sorts of punishments affecting more players than ever before, Lloyd recalled a moment in his career when he needed to “slow up” to avoid suspension.

“At one stage in my career, I just opened myself up and Chris Judd and I both got knocked out because I knew if I hit him in the head, I’d be suspended as well.

“So, it’s unfortunate that you realise that with the bump, you’ve just got to try not to bump at all anymore.”

In the initial aftermath of the incident, Essendon great James Hird sympathised with May and claimed that five years ago, he would not have been banned for the same act.

“I feel for Steven May – this is a really difficult one,” he told Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.

“I don’t think he has gone out on purpose to hurt anybody.

“Five years ago, it wouldn’t have got weeks. But the rules have changed, and unfortunately for him, his shoulder gets him in the head.”

Having suffered a head injury, Evans is in the league’s concussion protocols. He can return in round 21 at the earliest.

May will likely return to the Demons line-up for the clash with Hawthorn on August 16. Melbourne is highly unlikely to play finals footy this season.