Taylan May is set to reunine with his brother Terrell with the Wests Tigers emerging as the frontrunner for his signature after police withdrew charges of domestic violence which had been levelled at the 23-year-old former Panthers star.
May had been banned by the NRL under the no-fault stand down policy after he was charged from an alleged incident involving his wife last April.
He pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of stalking and is now free to play again after the charges were dropped on Monday.
ARL chair Peter V’landys said he was now free to play because the charges have now been dropped.”
His brother, Terrell, linked with the Tigers in the off-season after he was told by the Roosters that he was able to gain an early release from his contract if he could find a better deal elsewhere.
Taylan May. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Taylan, a five-time Samoan international, had played 30 matches for the Panthers, including eight matches last season, since his debut in 2021.
May missing the 2022 grand final due to injury and did not play at all the following season due to a torn ACL.
A centre or winger, the Tigers have salary cap space to sign him and could have more room to move if Papua New Guinea international Justin Olam is forced into a medical retirement due to a chronic knee injury.
Dolphins join Titans in changing plans over flood
The Dolphins have flown to Newcastle and the Gold Coast will relocate their round two NRL preparations to Sydney on Tuesday because of the devastating impact of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred on their training bases.
Des Hasler’s Titans play the Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday but are unable to train at their Parkwood base due to flooding in the aftermath of the cyclone.
The Dolphins, who are without electricity at their Redcliffe base and unable to train at a flooded Kayo Stadium, left on Monday evening for Newcastle where they will prepare for their showdown with the Knights on Thursday night.
They will train in Newcastle on Tuesday and then have their captain’s run on Wednesday.
“We have worked with the NRL since Sunday to get the boys down to Newcastle early,” Dolphins CEO Terry Reader told AAP.
“That will allow our team to have training sessions and get their preparation done before Thursday night’s game. Newcastle have helped us out.”
Titans boss Steve Mitchell said water was sitting well above the crossbar on the team’s training field and that the safety of players and staff was paramount.
Kristian Woolf. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Kini keen to build on breakout year
Gold Coast fullback Keano Kini is as fast as he is fearless.
“I’m not the biggest fella. Dad taught me that speed is power, so the harder I run into tackles the less likely I am to get hurt, and the more likely I am to break tackles,” Kini said.
“I just back myself and try to be fearless.”
Kini, who stands 177kg and weights just 83kg, was responding to a question about whether he realised there was no brick wall in front of him when he runs the ball.
Few footballers in the modern game charge ahead with the New Zealand custodian’s speed straight into a defensive line.
Kini was a powerhouse in 2024 in his first full season in the NRL, with the Titans player of the year averaging 210m while making 10 line breaks and 66 tackle busts in just 16 games.
The 20-year-old was once told he was too small to make it in the NRL. A perceived lack of size was no impediment to him making the No.1 jersey his own.
“I back myself every day. I’m working hard here with the performance staff to make sure my body’s right,” he said.
“I’ve put on a kilogram or two in the off-season and I feel stronger and faster this year, so hopefully I can prove it throughout the season. I think the new age of fullbacks are getting smaller and faster. You see it with (Melbourne’s) Sua (Faalogo) and (Brisbane’s) Reece (Walsh)
“I mean, I don’t really feel small out there at all.”
with AAP
