New South Wales Blues head coach Laurie Daley has revealed he believes others are playing better than Terrell May, while also confirming he has no intention of speaking with the Tigers prop.
May has barely put a foot wrong during the first 11 weeks of the season at the Tigers, playing big minutes, and putting up enormous numbers both with and without the ball.
His form has made him one of the competition's best players, and until mid-last week, it appeared he would be a walk-up starter for the Blues when Laurie Daley announced his side.
But then the rumours started last week.
That Daley had spoken to advisors close to him who advised May had issues with his defence despite tackling almost 98 per cent in an up-and-down Tigers team, and that his 'eccentric character' would be an issue in the ten-day camp.
Confirmation of those reports came on Sunday evening when May was left out of the Blues team for Game 1. Instead, Payne Haas will be joined in the front row by Mitchell Barnett, with Spencer Leniu backed to retain his spot on the bench alongside Canterbury Bulldogs prop Max King who will debut.
"I just think the others are playing better than Terrell May. All the things I'm looking for from a player. Max King is playing outstanding. Terrell is playing great, but obviously needs to keep knocking on the door, I'm sure his time will come," the head coach said at a press conference on Monday morning.
Daley then confirmed he hasn't spoken to May, has no intention of doing so, and confirmed a social media outburst - where May all but confirmed he wasn't going to be selected - wasn't behind the decision.
Instead, Daley took time to express why Max King was picked to make his Origin debut.
"Max's actions as a footballer go unnoticed by a lot of people, but not by the coaching staff," he said.
"There was a particular moment at Magic Round. Max had made a run, got tackled four metres out under the sticks, the Dogs moved the ball to the left, dropped it, Phillip Sami picked it up, runs 80 metres, gets tackled. They moved the ball to the left, and the next person that made a tackle was Max King.
"He got back there because he knew how urgent it was to his teammates, and that's an action I look for. To me, that's a guy that cares about his team, cares about his teammates, and the type of player I want."
King has been in fine form for the Bulldogs, with Canterbury sitting near the top of the table.
Backed to make his Origin debut by Cameron Ciraldo, that is exactly the way things have played out, with Stefano Utoikamanu also sneaking ahead of May to be the 19th man and on standby for Payne Haas, who is battling an injury he picked up against the St George Illawarra Dragons on Sunday afternoon.
“Terrell is playing great, but obviously needs to keep knocking on the door, I’m sure his time will come,”
That sounds _so_ patronising.
All he had to say was “I think Matt King will be more effective in the team” and leave it at that.