Wests Tigers have secured the services of their standout prop, Terrell May, for the foreseeable future, with his commitment strongly tied to the tenure of coach Benji Marshall. May, who recently inked a long-term contract extension with the club, recently shared his insights on the decision during an appearance on the Unscripted Podcast with Josh Mansour. He admitted that his loyalty lies firmly with Marshall and that he sees the Tigers as his home, expressing a sentiment that he would not transfer his allegiance to another club.
“I just feel like it’s my home,” May stated on the podcast. “I’ve got Benji who has done so much for me, the club have done so much for my family, they brought my brother [Taylan May] to the club and I’ve got a lot of close boys there.”
He elaborated on his unique perspective on loyalty in professional sport, acknowledging the business aspect of the game while emphasising his personal connection. “As bad as this sounds, it will probably get clipped and that, but I will never be loyal to another club, because at the end of the day, every club is a business but I’m loyal to Benji,” May explained. “As long as Benji stays at the Tigers, they have my loyalty pretty much I’ll stay there forever, but I’ll never be loyal to an actual club again.”
A Resurgent Force at the Tigers
Terrell May has previously been vocal about his desire to play alongside his brothers, Taylan and Tyrone, with Tyrone currently playing in the English Super League. His form since joining the Wests Tigers has been nothing short of exceptional, establishing him as one of the premier props in the competition. Despite his impressive performances, he was notably overlooked for selection in Game 1 of this year’s State of Origin series by head coach Laurie Daley.
Had May reached November 1st as a free agent, he would have undoubtedly been a prime target for numerous NRL clubs eager to secure his talent. However, he wasted no time in recommitting to the Tigers, demonstrating his commitment to the club and its direction.
A Near Return to Penrith and a Strained Encounter
In a candid revelation on the same podcast, May disclosed an almost-reunion with the Penrith Panthers shortly after his NRL debut. This potential move ultimately fell through due to an unfortunate interaction with the Panthers’ head of football, Matt Cameron.
“I was meant to meet with Ivan [Cleary] and sign a three-year deal to come back home, and then I met with Matt Cameron, and the meeting didn’t go too well,” May recounted. He chose not to delve into excessive detail but made it clear that the encounter left him disillusioned. “I don’t want to go into too much detail, but yeah, I was off him, I walked out and said ‘nah, I am re-signing with Roosters’.”
May then shared a specific quote from Cameron that proved to be a turning point in the meeting. “I will give you a little quote,” he said. “The first thing Matt Cameron said to me was, ‘You are not a gangster, you are not a vlogger or YouTuber, you are a footy player.’ I was like what the hell?”
The situation escalated when Cameron reportedly began to disparage May’s brothers. “Then he started talking down on Tiny (Taylan May) and Tyrone (May), and I was like, nah, this ain’t it,” May expressed. He concluded the account by stating, “I sat there and listened to what he said, I apologised to the club for my U20’s thing, and then I just left.” This experience clearly solidified May’s resolve to forge his path elsewhere, ultimately leading him back to the Wests Tigers.
