Essendon Football Club is deeply saddened by the loss of two-time premiership player Wally May, who passed away this week, aged 84.

May played in the 1949 and 1950 Essendon premiership teams, was runner-up in the 1951 best and fairest and won the most consistent player award in 1950 and 1952.

Teammate and close friend Jack Jones said May was a true gentleman of the game.

“He was a great bloke and a lovely man and it’s very sad to think that he’s gone,” Jones said.

“On the field he was a great ruckman, a short ruckman but he had a very strong and physical presence.”

Recruited from the Essendon District League, May was nicknamed ‘chooka’ after his father Charlie, who played 83 games for Essendon.

 “He was a local boy in the area and has a really strong family connection with the club, his father played in the 1920’s and was also a dual premiership player,” Jones said.