The Wests Tigers forward’s snub from the NSW Blues side for Origin has divided the fan base.
Laurie Daley’s snub of popular Wests Tigers forward Terrell May has caused plenty of debate after the NSW State of Origin team for Game 1 was announced. And a theory involving new Blues advisor Craig Bellamy has emerged to explain the situation.
May has started the season in strong form for the Tigers, leading the forward pack averaging 175 running metres per game making 467 tackles across 11 rounds. While May plays close to 80 minutes each week his stats would suggest he is in front of props such as Max King and Stefano Utoikamanu in the pecking order for Blues selection. Fans have been left outraged May has missed out on squad selection after such efforts.
Daley addressed the backlash on Monday having suggested he did not feel the need to speak to May with a number of props ahead of him for selection. “I think it was more about the fact that other players have been playing particularly well. Max King, what he’s been able to do has been excellent,” the coach said.
Terrell’s playing some really good football and like all the others he’s just got to keep banging down the door and his opportunity will come at some stage, But we just thought at this stage in Game 1 that’s the team we wanted to go with. Max Deserves his chance. Stefano has really improved out of sight the past couple of weeks.”
Many fans did not buy into Daley’s claim and felt something more was going on. And a number of theories have emerged after the dust has settled on the selection drama. One common theory is the influence of Melbourne Storm coach Bellamy helping out Daley in 2025.
Bellamy is working as an advisor for Daley for the 2025 Origin series and said last week he will be helping out during the Storm’s byes and on game-day. And one theory going around is Bellamy’s inside word on some defensive deficiencies May has in his game.
The Storm hammered the Tigers 64-0 recently, with the ruck speed a real concern for Benji Marshall’s Tigers side. The Storm tore them apart through the middle and May appeared to be targeted.
May tried his guts out and played big minutes once again, but produced a tired effort on Cameron Munster in the 74th minute. The Storm five-eighth brushed past him easily before setting up Bronson Garlick under the posts.
This could have led to concerns for May in the Origin arena with the speed of play a lot faster than at club level. Bellamy got a first-hand look at May and his defence, and would have advised Daley on what he saw.
“I think Terrell basically cost himself two weeks ago,” journalist Brent Read said on NRL 360 on Monday night. “They played in Melbourne and he had a shocker. They got carved up. Melbourne exposed Terrell May that day. He missed a lot of tackles. Craig Bellamy’s on the coaching staff for NSW. They obviously went there with the game plan to get to Terrell May.”
Some people told Laurie that Terrell May has some defensive issues that could be exposed… Storm v Tigers was where some issues were seen with him defensively, is it a coincidence that Bellamy is an advisor……. Slater would’ve known those details as well.
Terrell May’s defence questioned after Origin snub
Speaking on Triple M Radio after May’s snub, former Dragons and Bulldogs forward James Graham claimed his long stints on the field might have actually worked against him this year in selection. “It’s an interesting one. You look at Terrell May’s output for the Tigers and the difference he has made at the club. But the strength of May is he is on the field for 70 minutes per game, minimum, and he needs the ball and works hard. He is not what you would consider an impact player,” Graham said.
May played as an impact player last year at the Roosters and was considered to be a gun off the bench. Although Trent Robinson’s decision to allow him to leave raised eyebrows. And Graham questioned if May’s snub was because he just didn’t fit into this NSW side.
“If you look up at the make-up of the team, if he was to be put into this side, he is not going to be required to play that style of game. Can he play that style of game as an impact game? Potentially,” he added.
SuperCoach’ stats slapped down in Terrell May snub
NRL reporter David Riccio was more to the point about why May wasn’t in the squad. Riccio claimed coaches are aware of May’s defensive issues and Daley has looked past his ‘SuperCoach’ stats that many people could be alluding to when blowing up over his snub.
Cutting through all that, I can tell you the issue is this, it’s his defensive movements that is the problem for Terrell May. SuperCoach fans go nuts for his numbers. And they’ll go straight for his missed tackles…everyone just goes he doesn’t miss tackles. I am not talking about that, it’s about his movements. In and around the ruck. And coaches are exploiting it,” Riccio said on Triple M Radio.
“They know he doesn’t work as hard. He might get there late, flop on it as second or third tackler and it’s not a missed tackle…”
Riccio used the example of a Max King effort, that Daley also pointed to, which was the kind of energy the coach wanted around the squad for Game 1. This involved King chasing back during the game against the Titans that could have won him the Blues jersey.
Former Blues forward Bryan Fletcher suggested it was odd he wasn’t selected, but maybe Daley wanted a more orthodox forward who just charges into the line and gets a quick play the ball. And SEN Radio host Joel Caine agreed it may have worked against him on the selection table.
“Terrell May, James Tedesco and Jarome Luai are three players that can pin-ball around,” he said. “Where he is probably going, ‘We have Mitchell Moses and Nathan Cleary, two great game managers. We don’t need the pin-balling around’.”
