STAR Melbourne recruit Steven May has failed in his bid to play in round one after unsuccessfully challenging his one-match ban for engaging in rough conduct against Brisbane midfielder Jarrod Berry.

The jury of Stewart Loewe, Richard Loveridge and Shane Wakelin took just seven minutes to agree with Match Review Officer Michael Christian's finding the contact was medium impact.

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May acknowledged after the hearing he needed to alter his playing style.

"I don't need to change my whole game but there are parts I can clean up, no doubt," May said.

"I don't want to be here (Tribunal) ever again.

"Like I said, we play a fast-paced game and those decisions are made on instinct."

This was the sixth time May has found guilty of rough conduct. He was rubbed out for five games in 2016 after bumping Berry's teammate Stefan Martin, with the ruckman stretchered off after that clash.

May's left shoulder made contact with the Lions midfielder early in the final quarter last Saturday and despite escaping concussion and walking off unassisted, Berry didn't return to the field.

The defender will miss the Dees' clash with Port Adelaide on Saturday, March 23, at the MCG.

Berry passed his SCAT5 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool) test, which is used to diagnose concussion.

He didn't display concussive symptoms but wasn't brought back on to the field because the Lions' high performance team made the call he had enough run in his legs ahead of round one.

The defender will miss the Dees' clash with Port Adelaide on Saturday, March 23, at the MCG.

AFL legal counsel Andrew Woods argued May's left foot rose above the ground and his right foot was on the brink of leaving the surface, which meant May had "significant momentum" when he collided with Berry.

He argued based on the footage alone, the impact "must be more than low", and that the act had potential to cause injury.