Terrelle May, a highly touted forward for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL, recently tweeted his apologies for using a homophobic slur while streaming on Twitch. Those comments resulted in his removal from the New South Wales State of Origin team. That’s especially true for the 23-year-old, who has enjoyed a breakout season while leading forwards in positive tackle rate. He drew criticism after playfully instructing a friend to burn a Blues jersey he had purchased for him.
May’s impact on the field has been nothing short of spectacular. He leads the league with 42.5 tackles per game and leads his team in tackles. Plus, he’s second all-time in total runs (219). His 467 tackles for the season are 57 more than any other prop. The former Giants first-rounder has been remarkably productive on the grassy canvas. In those plays, he has missed just 11 tackles, boasting a remarkable tackle efficiency rate of 97.7 percent. Equally impressive, he’s one of only five forwards in the top 25 metre munchers in the competition.
The Hot Mic Incident
The whole debacle started during a Call of Duty stream on Twitch. May’s throwaway comment to a mate – himself a passionate supporter of Queensland – was the catalyst for much drama to come. He instructed his pal, “Chuck it in the bin.” He was speaking to the Blues jersey we had purchased for him.
Reflecting on the incident, May admitted, “When I saw all the reports and all the articles, I got a bit frustrated and then obviously I said what I never should have said.” Replying to his detractors, he acknowledged that he had intended his comment as a joke. He knew the danger of making loose statements in public forums.
Tough words from the responsibility-challenged. Brad Fitttler, coach of the New South Wales team, called May’s comments “pathetic.” He called on May to “humble up.” The fallout from this incident would have no doubt contributed to May’s exclusion from the Origin squad.
The Omission from the Squad
For all his gaudy numbers, it wasn’t a shock to many observers that May was left off the roster. NRL commentator Michael Daley noted that the decision was based on performance, stating, “I just think the others are playing better than Terrell May.” Daley further explained that he had not spoken with May about the decision before its public announcement.
The media frenzy leading up to the team announcement was unprecedented. Now, as May faced the full weight of the public eye’s scorn, he found himself on the defensive. He maintained that he had hoped to earn a place on the squad based on his on-field performance rather than off-field comments.
Career Aspirations and Future Goals
Along with those accomplishments on the field, May has had aspirations to become a Twitch streamer for a long time. Since his teenage years, he has envisioned a career in gaming and streaming, using platforms like Twitch to connect with fans and share his experiences.
The Sydney Roosters caught everyone wrong-footed by cutting May during the off-season. As he looks ahead to the next chapter of his life, now he’s dealing with new challenges in his career. Although he missed out on being picked in the Original selection, he enjoys concentrating on developing his game and hopefully pouncing on the opportunities other times.
