Sport Confidential: Taylan May wipes social media accounts as hopes for NRL return fade
Taylan May has wiped his social media accounts, as the odds of him making an NRL return grow greater by the day, after talks with one club stall. See the full SPORT CONFIDENTIAL.
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Taylan May has seemingly wiped his social media accounts as the odds of him making a return to the NRL grow greater by the day.
Sport Con understands that at least one NRL club has met May, but talks appear to have stalled. Sources told Sport Con that it was growing increasingly unlikely that May, who had domestic violence charges against him withdrawn last week, would play in the NRL this season.
The former Penrith centre was on a deal believed to be worth as much as $600,000 a season before he was charged by police. The Panthers severed ties with May in the aftermath, but he was cleared to make a return to the NRL by ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys when the charges were withdrawn.
The Wests Tigers were among the clubs to express an interest in speaking to May, although it is understood talks have not progressed to any great degree.
Immediately after the charges against him were dropped, May posted himself in a rap video and changed his handle on instagram to ‘Taylanmayfair’, which has subsequently been removed.
He also set up another instagram handle, Mayfair Pty Ltd. He is yet to post on the site. May’s brother Terrell has been a star for the Tigers through the opening two rounds.
ROOSTER’S REMINDER
The NRL has reminded the Sydney Roosters that club officials are not to approach match officials after an incident involving chair Nick Politis and board member Mark Bouris in Las Vegas.
The NRL integrity unit launched an investigation into allegations that Politis and Bouris were critical of referee Mitch James after a pool match involving the LA Roosters at the Las Vegas Nines.
It is understood that investigation has culminated in the club receiving a reminder of their obligations when it comes to match officials.
EXCLUSIVE: BROWN INSIDER REVEALS TRUTH OVER ‘GET-OUT CLAUSES’
The player manager who brokered Dylan Brown’s record $13 million deal has torpedoed suggestions the Knights-bound pivot has get-out clauses in his Newcastle contract.
Brown’s agent Gavin Orr has set the record straight following speculation over the composition of the richest contract in rugby league history.
Orr confirmed there are ratchet clauses in Brown’s 10-year deal that can be activated if there is an increase in the salary cap with fresh NRL expansion on the horizon.
The NRL is about to begin talks on a new TV rights deal for 2028 and beyond.
But, in the most fascinating revelation, it is understood Brown’s salary at the Knights, starting at $1.3 million in 2026, will be capped across the decade-long deal.
While there will be slight increases in accordance with any salary-cap rise, the 24-year-old’s wage will be capped at $1.4 million.
That gives Newcastle some financial breathing space to also keep superstar skipper Kalyn Ponga at the club under the salary cap when his existing deal expires at the end of 2027.
The final two years of Brown’s deal - seasons 2034 and 2035 - contains mutual options where the Knights and the Kiwi Test pivot can discuss his future.
“There’s no get-out clauses,” said Orr of Pacific Sports Management.
“If you look at the deal that was lodged with the NRL, it’s a straight 10-year deal.
“There’s a lot of talk out there about the nature of the deal but I know the most accurate version because we put the deal together.
“There is a mutual option centred around how far the salary cap goes up.
“Newcastle have some protection as well, there’s a cap on how much Dylan’s salary can increase.
“He has ratchet clauses which are related to expansion.
“The TV rights deals are five years apart and there’s clauses in there related to the salary cap going up.”
LATRELL INJURY UPDATE
Latrell Mitchell is in line to make his return from injury against the Sydney Roosters next month - and he will do so in his favoured position of fullback.
Mitchell has been sidelined since the preseason with a hamstring injury and in his absence, Jye Gray has been a sensational deputy.
The diminutive No.1 has starred in the club’s wins over the Dolphins and St George Illawarra. So good has his form been, there has been renewed debate over whether Mitchell should be shifted from fullback to preserve his body.
However, Sport Con understands that as good as Gray has been, Mitchell is expected return to the team in the No.1 jersey.
There will be a place in the Souths side for Gray as well, most likely off the interchange bench where he can cover not only fullback, but also the halves.
Gray was a schoolboy sensation in the halves and he is no stranger to playing off the interchange bench - he did so for the Queensland under 19 side in 2022 in a side that also included Ezra Mam, Isaiah Iongi and Jeremiah Nanai.
Souths posted footage on their social media sites this week of Mitchell continuing his rehabilitation at Heffron Park. The Rabbitohs superstar looked in terrific shape as he went through a series of shuttle runs and stepped up his recovery from there hamstring problem that decimated his stat to the year.
Mitchell was initially expected to return as late as the Rabbitohs’ round seven game against the Bulldogs. However, there is now optimism that he could be back two weeks before that for the game against bitter rivals the Roosters.
Souths have been outstanding in his absence, launching their new era under Wayne Bennett by winning their opening two games of the year.
RIVAL CLUBS EYE RAIDERS STAR
Canberra hooker Tom Starling’s early-season form has started piquing the interest of rival clubs, leaving the Raiders with a fight on their hands to keep one of the competition’s form players.
Starling is off contract at the end of the season and the Raiders have already announced that Newcastle rake Jayden Brailey will join the club in 2026.
Canberra are expected to let Danny Levi depart at the end of the season but they also have young star Owen Pattie on their books, having recently extended his contract.
It means there will be a logjam for the No.9 jersey next season if Starling decides to stay. The Raiders want to keep him at the club but so good has Starling played through the opening two games, rival clubs are beginning to take an interest in his future.
North Queensland and Manly were among the clubs to miss out on Brailey and loom as logical fits for Starling. Parramatta were also interested at one point in Brailey and could look to Starling as an alternative.
Canberra may have a fight on their hands to keep him.
NRL TO MAKE CALL ON TIGER’S RETIREMENT PLANS
Justin Olam’s plans to medically retire are now in the hands of the NRL after doctor’s reports and documentation were formally submitted to head office.
Olam hasn’t played this season after sustaining a knee injury towards the end of last season that has brought a premature end to his career.
It is understood he and the Tigers submitted independent medical evidence to the NRL which is now being considered by the salary cap team as they decide whether the club should receive an exemption for Olam’s remaining salary.
The Papua New Guinea international is on a deal believed to be worth as much as $600,000 a season. Should the Tigers’ application for Olam to be medically retired be successful, the club will receive cap dispensation.
That would free up Olam’s salary for the remainder of this season and all next season which the Tigers could then use to go to market.
Olam has had knee problems in recent years but Sport Con understands that the latest problem stems from a fresh injury suffered at the back end of last year.
FLASHBACK
The Brookvale Oval surface made headlines on this day 10 years ago. Bulldogs fullback Brett Morris said his foot sunk 10cm into one part after the ground hosted seven games in six days. Canterbury won 16-12.
DRAGONS STAR RACING THE CLOCK
The bye has come at the perfect time for St George Illawarra centre Moses Suli who is racing the clock to be fit for next week after picking up a rib injury.
Suli suffered a rib cartilage injury in the first half during St George Illawarra’s loss to South Sydney last week. The injury would have probably sidelined him had the Dragons played this week.
It will be a pain tolerance issue for Suli who was unable to finish the match against the Rabbitohs.
BARRETT SIGNS DRAGONS DEAL
Another Barrett has inked a deal with St George Illawarra with Trent’s daughter Halle Barrett eyeing an NRLW contract after signing a development deal with the Dragons.
Halle is just 16 and can’t formally sign an NRLW deal for another two years but her end goal is clear.
“I want to play NRLW,” Barrett said. “It’s a big goal. When you have that big goal there’s a lot of little things that come with it. I love the game and everything about it. Playing for the Dragons would be the dream. I’m here at the moment and to go through one club would be awesome especially with my dad’s legacy at the Dragons.”
For now, Barrett will continue impressing at centre for Illawarra Steelers’ under-17s Lisa Fiaola Cup side where she plays alongside her dad’s former teammate Dean Young’s twin daughters Elli and Sienna.
Barrett represented Country under-17 last year.
“I’ve always been around rugby league,” Barrett said. “I always wanted to play it as soon as the girl comps came through. Dad didn’t want me to play at first but I got straight into league tag. I love it.
“Dad’s in Brisbane at the moment but he gets down as much as he can.”
The Steelers are seventh on the ladder.
HALL OF FAMER TO HEAD UP WGAG
NRL Hall of Famer Katrina Fanning has been appointed as Chair of International Rugby League’s Women’s & Girls Advisory Group (WGAG).
Fanning, who is Chair of the Australian Rugby League Indigenous Council and a Canberra Raiders board member, is a pioneer of the women’s game in Australia and was last year one of six female players inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame.
Her appointment comes at a pivotal time for women’s rugby league, with 27 nations now having an international women’s team and the IRL set to announce an historic women’s World Series in Canada later this year to determine the final berth for the 2026 World Cup.
Canada, Fiji, Ireland and Nigeria will play-off in the inaugural World Series, with the winner to join Australia, New Zealand, England, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, France and Wales at the 2026 World Cup, being hosted by the ARLC.
SAINT SWIFTS
NSW Swifts players Paige Hadley, Grace Nweke and Sarah Klau won plenty of fans after a visit to the Westmead Children’s Hospital this week where they delivered bears for The Kids’ Cancer Project to children on the wards.
Sport Con understands Hadley, Nweke and Klay were only required to be at the hospital for a small window to hand out bears but ended up staying over an hour later than required.
They then asked if they could go into additional wards and even spend time playing games with the kids in hallways and rooms.
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