The Penrith Panthers have severed ties with controversial star Taylan May

Taylan May has ended his legal fight to stay at the Penrith Panthers with the club releasing a statement early Friday morning. See the private conversations that ended in litigation.

Penrith have severed ties with centre Taylan May after the parties reached a confidential settlement.

The Panthers released a statement on Friday morning confirming that May had played his last game for the premiers, the deal struck after this masthead revealed intimate details of the club’s’ failed bid to sack their star centre that ultimately led to lawyers at 10 paces.

“May is departing the Panthers effective immediately and is seeking other opportunities,” the club said in a statement released on Friday morning.

Documents lodged with the Federal Court of Australia by May and the Panthers lay bare the conversations that took place behind closed doors prior to May launching court action to protect his $1.2 million deal with the club.

The Panthers have cut ties with Taylan May. Picture: Getty Images

May was successful in fending off the Panthers after the Federal Court ruled in his favour with an injunction that effectively hamstrung any attempt by Penrith to sever ties with a player they regarded so highly, they signed him to a two-year extension only weeks into the season.

Last month the Panthers slapped May with a second show-cause notice as they weighed up sacking him after he was charged with domestic violence offences. May has pleaded not guilty to the charges and continues to be paid by Penrith.

In an affidavit lodged with the Federal Court of Australia, May - who was charged by police on May 18 - says he sat down for a meeting with Panthers powerbrokers five days later to discuss his future at the club.

Earlier that day he had been stood down by NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo under the game’s no fault stand-down rule after being charged with domestic violence related offences.

May says that he had a short meeting with the Panthers welfare boss Kevin Kingston where he asked whether he would continue to be paid. Kingston said he would check and then the pair walked into a boardroom where he was greeted by Penrith general manager of football Shane Elford, chief executive Matt Cameron and Group boss Brian Fletcher.

What followed was a conversation that initially piqued the interest of the NRL and its integrity unit.

Taylan May is locked in a legal battle with Penrith. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

According to May’s version of events, Fletcher asked him how the court proceedings were going to look. May replied by saying he planned to plead not guilty.

Fletcher: How does that look if it gets adjourned? You’re about to have a year off. It could take a year; it could take longer. We gave you a home loan, what are we going to do about that?

May: That was one of the reasons I signed anyway. You said you were going to do that. Any other club I would’ve went to would’ve done it.

It is understood the reference to a home loan relates to an advance on May’s contract to allow him to buy a home, something which is legal under the game’s salary cap rules and is regularly done by clubs who have space in their cap.

According to May, the pair continued their discussion.

Fletcher: No, they wouldn’t have. You should be very grateful for it.

May: I stayed loyal to this club by re-signing here.

Fletcher: No, they wouldn’t have.

May: Yeah, Roosters would’ve done it.

Fletcher: Tigers wouldn’t have and there are a few other clubs I can name that wouldn’t have done it.

Fletcher: We’re going to have to go to the board over this. This talk has to be discussed with the board now and they’ll make the decision. It’s out of our hands now.

May’s affidavit says that before the end of the first meeting, Kingston asked Fletcher what the club would do about May’s pay.

Fletcher: He’ll continue being paid.

Taylan May After his win in Federal Court.

Not long after, the Panthers issued May with a first breach notice where the idea of a payout for the remainder of the year was discussed.

May’s then-manager Warwick Wright suggested the offer wouldn’t be suitable and future dealings should be conducted with May’s lawyer.

On June 13, the Panthers issued May with a second show cause notice in which they said they planned to “conduct an investigation” and “interview” May.

That would have placed May in a difficult position, potentially requiring him to discuss his case before it was due back in court next year.

Six days later, May’s lawyers asked for the second hearing to be adjourned, a request that was rejected by Penrith leading to Federal Court action.

The Panthers insist in their documentation that they would allay fears of the investigation process prejudicing the criminal investigation by ensuring interviews would be carried out in a “fair and open manner, by suitably trained personnel, such that witnesses are not led in their accounts and all accounts are considered in terms of their reliability, accuracy and credibility”.

The Panthers responded by saying they intended to provide evidence as to why the second show cause notice was issued to protect not only the reputation of the club and the game, but to protect their commercial interests and ensure female stakeholders and staff felt safe and secure in their association with the club.

The court, however, ruled in May’s favour but he has now departed the club and will fight to save his career in the NRL elsewhere.

Originally published as The Penrith Panthers have severed ties with controversial star Taylan May