Lynch to play follow leader
STEVEN May has declared both his and fellow Suns cocaptain Tom Lynch’s intentions to stay at the Gold Coast beyond their current deals.
The ink has barely dried on May’s new two-year deal that will tie him to the Suns until the end of 2019 but it hasn’t stopped the defender revealing his desire to lead the club with Lynch in the long term.
Losing one of the premier bookends would have been a disaster for the club and would have made the task of keeping the other near impossible.
May sought assurances from Lynch, out of contract at the end of next year, regarding his plans before deciding to resign and said he was confident both would be at the helm in the coming years.
“I have spoken to Lynch a lot about it,” May said.
“He has given me every indication that he is going to be around. That was a big part of (me re-signing).
“He is an integral member and co-captain and I need his help. We are very competitive people and we want to see where we can take this team.
“I don’t think his contract will be an issue next year from all indications that he has given me.”
May said he would consider extending his deal as soon as next year if the team continued to improve.
Locking in the 25-year-old was Gold Coast’s top priority going into the season but May revealed he needed to work through a family issue back home in the Northern Territory before beginning talks.
May said it was the reason behind his fluctuating form in the early stages of the season.
“A lot was weighing on my mind and a lot of it was with family stuff back home,” he said.
“The first few months of the year I was focused on sorting that out and not so much my contract.
“That’s had an effect on my football as well but everyone has their own problems and I had to deal with that.”
May has thrived on the field since and has bought a house with fiancee, lawyer Tess Calver-James, who played a big role in his decision to stay on the Gold Coast.
“She has got a job and she is loving it here. It’s not just about me anymore, I have got to run it past her and she is rapt to stay on the Coast. “
May is a huge supporter of coach Rodney Eade, also out of contract at season’s end, but said he didn’t seek any clarification from the club about his future before re-signing.