Panthers Media | 23 May 2024
The Penrith Panthers have been informed by the National Rugby League that Taylan May has been stood down as part of the NRL’s no-fault stand down policy.
The club will continue to provide support to all parties involved and will not make any further comment at this time.
There are no winners here at all and subject to the outcome of court proceedings things are best left unsaid.
My comments do not have anything to do with the matter before the court but has to do with the club.
Panthers have this kid in their salary cap, is there a provision the club can seek some relief for his services which he will not be able to complete whilst stood down and with the legal system, we may not see a conclusion to this until deep into next year if not longer.
It appears from “reports” May has or will be issued a “show cause” before he appears before the board next week.
This has nothing to do with his pending criminal charges but is to do with a litany of issues he has had with the club with other matters.
Nice the club are drawing a line in the sand but one could ask as i am sure his defence counsel will, where was this when the events occurred previously.
Notwithstanding i suspect he will be let go and free him as an individual to move on with his life and Panthers to also move on.
I suspect a win win for both.
I heard from a little birdy that it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion.
Get that printer warmed up for a contract extension for Alamoti.
I have no information but from what has been reported and how it has been leaked suggests its all a done deal.
Speaking as a Panther fan, it is a way to free up salary cap which may help in looking for some players to bolster our ranks.
On another level i hope the kid finds himself and gets to a happy place.
What is astonishing in the case of May is the ‘litany of issues’ or the ’ dossier of breaches’ as described in the report were in existence prior to his contract extension. Doubtless this will be his defence should he decide to challenge the termination of his contract. May has done very well out of the Panthers club and been afforded every opportunity to secure his future financially combined with a lifestyle most kids of his age can only dream about. He has let himself, his family, the fans and the club down. Wouldnt surprise me if he doesnt end up at the Bulldogs!!!
Not sure I like the inuendo here by Chammas, obviously a skilled writer given he can easily worm out of a convo to said point, what are your thoughts on this dialogue? IMO he is blaming the 1 female on the board because of her directorship at the women’s shelter. To that i say, you’re an arse, and there is ABSOLUTELY no justifiable excuse for hitting women!!!
Michael Chammas | Sydney Morning Herald | 11 June 2024
Penrith officials will deliberate with club lawyers before making a decision on the future of Taylan May after the winger and his legal team fronted the Panthers board on Tuesday afternoon.
As reported by the Herald last week, May was issued with a show-cause notice by the club and invited to make his case to the board as to why he shouldn’t be sacked over a string of breaches dating back several years.
The board will consider May’s submission and is expected to reach a decision on his future in the next two to three weeks.
The alleged breaches of the Panthers’ code of conduct are not related to allegations made by his partner that resulted in May being charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of stalking or intimidating another person with the intention of causing them to fear physical or mental harm. May has pleaded not guilty and is due to face court in March next year.
“It was a long meeting. There were a lot of issues to discuss with the show-cause notice,” Panthers Group chief executive Brian Fletcher told this masthead.
“You just have to tick every box legally with these things. They’re not a cut and dry thing. That’s what the board is a little bit afraid of, to make sure we tick off every box before we make the decision. We should be able to make a decision in the next two to three weeks.”
When asked whether May had played his last game for the Panthers, Fletcher said: “I couldn’t say he has or he hasn’t because the process is only halfway through at the moment.”
When approached after the meeting, May’s lawyer Abdul Reslan declined to comment.
The Panthers star attended the meeting flanked by four legal representatives from Kings Law Group, walking almost 400 metres from a nearby cafe to the club’s headquarters for the appointment with the board. His manager Wok Wright, with whom May left the premises, was also in attendance.
Sources with knowledge of the situation, talking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation, said some of the breaches relate to incidents that took place before May signed a contract extension with the Panthers on March 22 this year.
The club agreed to a two-year extension worth close to $1.2 million to keep him until the end of 2026.
Sources said the list of breaches in the show-cause notice include the use of foul language on social media and a video post showing May in the passenger seat of a car driving 96km/h in a school zone last month.
Lawyers for May pointed out the 22-year-old has been undertaking charity work recently.
May allegedly assaulted wife Jessica May by punching her in the face during an altercation on the night of April 8. He was arrested 24 hours before Penrith’s Magic Round clash against the New Zealand Warriors.
Former Penrith mayor Tricia Hitchen joined the board of the Panthers at the end of last season. Hitchen is also a director of The Haven – Nepean Women’s Shelter, an organisation that offers refuge for women and their children escaping domestic violence. She is one of two women on the Panthers board.
The fact Taylan May is so lawyered up would imply that he knows he is good as gone.
The signing of Asu Kepaoa for this year and next is a tell tale sign that he is going to be replaced. McLean has been promoted to the top 30 and I’m sure it’s a matter of time before Alomoti’s contract is extended.
Once again common sense is overruled by the hypocrisy of legal representation. If it was the daughter of any of those men walking with him that he hit, I wonder what their position would be. I also hate the fact this is about pre-re-signing, the guy is an A class grub…what were we thinking !
I for one can’t wait to see the back of him. Talk about bringing the club into disrepute!
I must be getting way too old but does May look like a grub with an attitude in the pic of him surrounded by his parade of lawyers?
One would think when fronting the Panthers board to “save” your career you could have rented/borrowed or bought a suit and groomed yourself for the occasion.
Maybe he knows his fate is sealed and couldn’t be bothered. That being said i believe our club have issues in this show cause matter as we stupidly resigned him “after” the very matters the show cause cites.
They cannot raise the current matter which on face value is bad but is before the courts and as yet is a contested matter.
I just feel we may have boxed ourselves in with this player and see him remaining with us.
I hope he is cut from us and at worst we get some relief from the NRL and can add another player to our roster.
The Telegraph is reporting that Taylan May has scored a victory over the club in the Federal Court after preventing the Panthers from holding a second meeting to discuss his future.
To be honest we just need to end this bullshit and terminate him already.
Since the day Dave O’Neill signed IC to return to us, our club has not made too many bad decisions. The re-signing of May may well have been a very significant one.
Whilst the most recent allegations may well seem the final straw with him for most people, there is no straw at this stage & won’t be until next year at least. Whilst his remaining with the club may be untenable to many, the fact is that most of the events cited as grounds for his termination occurred prior to his re-signing & were known. Re-signing him could be well viewed as acceptance of his ‘crimes’ & to now sack him would be viewed as unfair. I don’t think they can argue that they can dismiss him based on prior events when they pre-date the new contract.
Unless the club have proof of further events, I think they are on very shaky ground to dismiss him prior to any conviction over the alleged DV offences, which will be next year, and then subject to appeal I would suggest.
Taylan May may well have played his last game for us, but I think he will continue to be under contract, and be paid, for at least until the court case, and then maybe again after that.
A very unfortunate situation, not least for the victim of the alleged assault. I trust she is receiving the support she needs.
Nine Wide World Of Sport | June 23 2024
Penrith have issued an additional breach notice to Taylan May as the club moves to terminate the contract of the sidelined star, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
The 22-year-old was issued his second notice by the club on Sunday, with reference to police charges involving an alleged dispute with his partner.
May is currently stood down by the NRL under the no-fault policy after being charged with a domestic violence offence, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The case was adjourned until March, 2025.
May’s career at the Panthers is hanging by a thread, with the centre having been at risk of being sacked for multiple behavioural incidents dating back several years.
The notice alleged May brought the club into disrepute with the domestic violence allegations.
However, May received an injunction from the Federal Court, preventing Penrith’s show cause hearing from taking place - which could have led to his potential termination.
May’s injunction argued the second Penrith hearing breached his rights as a professional athlete.
His legal team and Panthers’ legal counsel are expected to go before a judge again on Wednesday, just hours before Origin II kicks off.
Sources told the Herald that the first breach notice referenced the use of foul language on social media and a video post showing May in the passenger seat of a car speeding in a school zone.
The NRL has been informed of the issue.
May signed a two-year extension worth close to $1.2 million in March which was due to keep him at the club until the end of 2026.
He played 30 games at Penrith since his debut in 2021.
Fox League | July 5 2024
Panthers flyer Taylan May has been released from his contract with the Penrith club effective immediately.
The reigning premiers released a statement on Friday morning.
“Taylan May is departing the Penrith Panthers effective immediately and is seeking other opportunities.
“With respect to all parties, the club will make no further comment on the matter”.
The centre was stood down by the NRL in May under the no-fault stand-down policy after he was charged with domestic violence offences.
The charges relate to an alleged argument in a Werrington home in April and May pleaded not guilty to stalking and three counts of domestic violence.
His case has been adjourned until March 2024.
According to the The Daily Telegraph, May has been handed a confidential settlement after the club’s attempt to sack him in recent weeks.
Panthers bosses issued the centre with a second show-cause notice on June 13 and claimed the charges levelled against May brought the game into disrepute.
They reportedly intended to interview May and “conduct an investigation” regarding his case before the outside back’s lawyers intervened and asked for the meeting to be adjourned.
The Panthers denied that request, with May’s lawyers then taking the matter to the Federal Court, with the court ruling in May’s favour, blocking any attempt to sack him.
However, with the situation at a stalemate, the club and the player’s manager and legal team have since come to a resolution, leading to his departure from the reigning premiers.
May signed a $1.2 million, two-year extension to remain at the foot of the mountain until the end of the 2026 season in March 2024.
Panthers Media | 5 June 2024
Taylan May is departing the Penrith Panthers effective immediately and is seeking other opportunities.
With respect to all parties, the club will make no further comment on the matter.
Good Riddance. The third and final Instalment of the May Brothers Saga has concluded.
Happy to see that distraction removed. Perhaps a couple of players will discover their early season form.
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