Panthers star Taylan May opens up on pub incident, NRL ban

Taylan May has been in the headlines for the past week. As he faces suspension for an on-field incident, he opens up on his off-field drama.

Taylan May was put on report and sin-binned for a high shot in Will Penisini.

Penrith rookie Taylan May has spoken for the first time about his controversial pub incident, saying he regrets throwing a man to the ground in Maroochydore last year.

The NRL last week hit May with a two-game ban after he was found guilty of assault, however were widely criticised for postponing his suspension until next season.

The bizarre decision freed the Panthers winger to play in their qualifying final win over Parramatta on Friday, although May is now facing a separate ban for an on-field high shot.

Speaking after the match, May admitted being confused by the league’s decision to delay the suspension for his off-field indiscretion until next year.

“I didn’t really know how it worked. I just left it to everyone else,” he said.

Taylan May leaves Maroochydore magistrates court after sentencing. Picturezzz; Lachie Millard

The 21-year-old was found guilty of assault occasioning bodily harm for dragging a man from behind just days after Penrith’s grand final triumph last year.

He was fined $1000 by the court, but no conviction was recorded, while the league also slung him with a $7,500 monetary penalty.

Asked if he regretted his actions, May said: “Yeah, I regret what I did.

“It was a crazy week, but I just my mind on footy and focused on that. Whatever happened, happened. I got my punishment, so just tried to focus on what I could.”

Taylan May says he regrets his actions. Picture: Getty Images

The brother of former Panthers utility and premiership-winner, Tyrone, was thankful for the support he received from the club and his teammates.

“It meant a lot, knowing they support me and tried to help me be positive,” he said.

CCTV footage showed May assaulting the man, who is believed to have been harrassing Penrith captain Nathan Cleary during the night.

Cleary said it was another reminder for players to be mindful of their behaviour.

“It’s a big lesson for him. It’s the first time he’s had widespread scrutiny and attention from him in the media,” he said.

“Sometimes you’re human — those things can take a toll but I thought he handled it well.”

Taylan May is sent to the sin-bin by referee Gerard Sutton. Picture: Getty Images

May’s dramatic week continued with a grade-two high-tackle charge that will rub him out of the Panthers’ preliminary final in a fortnight.

He will have to successfully fight the charge at the judiciary in order to play. However he risks a two-game ban, which would include a potential grand final, if he loses.

He also suffered a hamstring injury that forced him from the field in the second half.

Penrith speedster Charlie Staines is the likely option to fill his spot, while coach Ivan Cleary could also opt for Robert Jennings or Christian Crichton.

“Anyone in our squad can take my spot in do the same job. We have confidence in all of them,” May said.

MATCH REPORT: CLEARY POWERS PANTHERS TO VICTORY

By Matt Cleary

Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary returned from a five-match suspension with a five-star performance and terrorised the Eels at BlueBet Stadium on Friday night.

It was like he had never gone away. If anything, he may have come back better.

There was a line break, a line break assist and two try assists. He kicked five goals from five attempts and a field goal. There was also a 40/20.

And his bombs rained on the Eels like terrible mortars. Waqa Blake, a target of Cleary’s allnight, will be seeing Steedens in his dreams.

Eels coach Brad Arthur said Cleary “kicked us to death.”

“We gifted them cheap possession, there was a couple of six-agains,” he said.

Nathan Cleary put on a masterclass in kicking against the Eels. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“And Nathan kicked really well. Kicked us to death, really.”

Arthur conceded that the Eels’ pressure on Cleary was lacking.

“We could be better, yeah,” he said. “We’ve got to work hard on our kick pressure and not give him as much time to put it on the spot.

“We can’t be throwing blame at Waqa. We’ve got to move on. Defend those errors. Move on to this week.”

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary wasn’t surprised how well his son had performed.

“He’s done it before, come back well first up after a spell. So I was hoping it would happen.

“But you could just tell looking at him at training. He just looked good,” Cleary said.

The teams traded tries in the first half of a typical derby and qualifying final. It was physical, passionate and tight – so tight that the halfbacks traded field goal attempts before half-time.

In the second half the Eels lost their way – and their halfback Mitchell Moses after a sickening head knock — completing 33 per cent of sets in the last 30 minutes.

Mitchell Moses was concussed after trying to tackle Viliame Kikau.

Mitchell Moses faces an anxious wait to see if he will be free to play next week. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“We didn’t give ourselves a chance in the second half with a lack of field position and too many red-zone errors,” Arthur said.

“At 8-7, with 30 minutes to go, we gifted them field position.

“We were going set-for-set and were first to break, really.”

Penrith ran away with the match when Moses – who had traded kicks, long and high, with Cleary — was concussed attempting a tackle on Viliame Kikau.

Arthur said that Moses was “up and about” in the sheds afterwards and could remember everything about the game.

“He seems all right,” Arthur said. “His health is the main priority right now.

“We’ve got a seven-day turnaround and he’s pretty important to us.”

Penrith will enjoy a week off in preparation for a preliminary final while Parramatta will face the winner of Melbourne Storm and Canberra Raiders.

Ivan Cleary was outstanding for the Panthers. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

ROYALTY HONOURED

Both ends of BlueBet Stadium were full an hour before the game. The queues for pizza, beer and dagwood dogs were long and moving.

There was a moving moment pre-match when royalty was honoured: Royce Simmons was cheered wherever he went.

There was also a solid minute’s silence in memory of Her Majesty the Queen, at least after ground staff turned off the Panthers’ traditional warm-up song “Hell’s Bells” by AC/DC.

Originally published as Panthers star Taylan May opens up on pub incident, NRL ban