Laurie Daley has moved to clear the air with Wests Tigers prop Terrell May, confirming a one-on-one meeting took place in the wake of Origin selection drama and offering strong support for the young forward's future in a sky blue jersey.
Daley praised May's form and attitude, making it clear that the front-rower remains firmly in the frame for a NSW debut down the track.
May's omission from both the game one and game two squads raised eyebrows given his strong club form, which has seen him climb the Dally M leaderboard and emerge as one of the few bright spots in a struggling Tigers pack.
Adding fuel to the public discussion were May's comments on a livestream after game one selections, which some speculated had contributed to his exclusion. Daley, however, denied any such link.
โIt was great just to sit there and talk to Terrell,โ Daley said at a press conference after the team for Game 2 was named.
โI'd never met him before, but I found him to be a really good fella. I had a cuppa with him. I won't go into detail about what we spoke about, but he was good as gold.โ
May was overlooked again for game two, with Stefano Utoikamanu earning a bench spot and Keaon Koloamatangi and Lindsay Smith named in the extended squad.
Daley explained that the door remains wide open for May, who he described as passionate and determined to represent his state.
โIt was good to clear the air and there's no hard feelings from my end and no hard feelings from his end,โ Daley said at a Blues presser.
โIf he keeps working hard for the Tigers, I have no doubt that at some stage he will find himself in this team.โ
Meanwhile, Haumole Olakau'atu was not considered for game two selection, with Daley revealing that the decision was made internally due to Olakau'atu expecting a child.
โWe just didn't think it was fair for him, worrying about the birth of a child and trying to concentrate for a State of Origin game,โ Daley stated.
โWe just sort of took it out of his hands and said you're better off to be around family. At the end of the day, family is more important than a game of footy.โ
