- tAylan May’s NRL future at stake
- He pleaded his case to the Penrith board on Tuesday.
- Now the Panthers will decide whether to fire him
Taylan May headed Penrith’s board of directors on Tuesday, and the Panthers are now deliberating over the 22-year-old’s future with the help of the club’s lawyers.
May was invited to make his case to the board why he should not be fired by the club after receiving a show-cause notice for a series of breaches dating back several years.
According to Fairfax, the board is expected to take two to three weeks to reach a decision after considering May’s presentation.
The 22-year-old is suspended for the remainder of the season under the NRL’s no-fault withdrawal policy as he faces domestic violence charges against his wife, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
The show-cause notice is not related to those charges.
Taylan May headed Penrith’s board of directors on Tuesday, and the Panthers are now deliberating on the 22-year-old’s future with the help of the club’s lawyers.
It is expected to take two to three weeks for the club’s board of directors to make a decision after considering May’s submission.
Some of the violations include the use of foul language on social media and a recent video post of May as a passenger in a car that appears to be driving 60 mph in a school zone.
‘It was a long meeting. There were a lot of issues to discuss with the show cause notice,” Panthers Group CEO Brian Fletcher told the Herald.
‘You just have to tick all the boxes legally with these things. They are not something simple. That’s what the board is a little afraid of, making sure we check all the boxes before we make the decision. “We should be able to make a decision in the next two or three weeks.”
Asked if May had played her last game for the first three prime ministers, Fletcher said: “I couldn’t say whether she has or not because the process is only half-way through at the moment.”
May allegedly assaulted his wife Jessica by punching her in the face during an altercation on the night of April 8, before being arrested 24 hours before Penrith’s Magic Round clash against the Warriors in Brisbane.
In August 2022, May was found guilty of assaulting a teenage football fan at the Duporth Tavern in Queensland following Penrith’s victory in the 2021 Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium.
The utility back made his NRL debut in the same season, before missing the 2022 NRL Grand Final victory over the Eels and all of last year due to injury.
In March, May signed a contract extension worth nearly $1.2 million to keep him at Penrith until the end of 2026.
He is due to appear in court on March 10 next year, where May will defend one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, as well as two counts of stalking or intimidating another person with intent to cause him or her to fear physical or mental harm.
May’s older brother Tyrone was sacked by the Panthers in November 2021 following a provocative Instagram image he posted after the club’s grand final win over South Sydney.
A meeting of the club’s board of directors sacked May over the post, which was eventually removed after a furious backlash.
The controversial post appeared to claim that May had been vindicated despite pleading guilty to filming sex videos without permission, where she narrowly avoided a jail sentence.
“As a club we understand our responsibilities to the game, our corporate partners, our members and fans, and the wider rugby league community,” Panthers chief executive Brian Fletcher said at the time.
‘The board observed due process in this matter and considered all relevant factors before reaching its final decision.
“The Panthers will coordinate with the NRL to ensure Tyrone receives access to any support services they require in the future.”