Wiedler/SMH:
It was a flashpoint on a night out that is the stuff of the NRL’s worst nightmares. A look into the price of fame of a big-time player.
When five internationals had to deal with a member of the public who pulled a knife on them – or, more specifically, on Tigers forward
Terrell May.
Terrell May in action for Samoa against Tonga at the 2025 Pacific Championships.NRL Imagery
The incident has been kept quiet from the NRL and the Samoans. But it was the final straw for May, who left camp the next day.
He had other issues going on at home. He was worried about his little brother
Taylan, who would have been in the squad but was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Taylan had been through his own troubles and Terrell didn’t feel right being away at that time.
But back to the night in question.
Jarome Luai, Terrell May, Izack Tago, Brian To’o, Blaize TalagiNine
His target was May, who is fiercely proud of where he grew up. May, who can handle himself, reacted by grabbing a stool to go after the knife-wielding youngster. It was instinctual. Fear and shock turned into anger, and he had to be held back by his teammates.
As a witness to the incident explained to me, there was a chance the teenager with the knife was going to find himself in danger from May.
The NRL said they did not know about the incident when asked for comment on Saturday.
That moment was not the worst thing to happen to May as part of that camp, and it’s not why he isn’t in the Samoan World Cup squad.
May wouldn’t go into the reasons for his absence when we contacted him to ask about the knife incident.
But what we have been told is that he has an ambition to captain the Tigers. To lead from the front. He is unhappy with what he gave the Tigers this year and genuinely believes he needs a big off-season to set himself up for 2027.
He also believes that, on form, he didn’t deserve to be part of the Samoa squad this time. May wants to focus on being a better player for Tigers coach
Benji Marshall next year.
Bitter end for Tigers’ Luai era
The Wests Tigers are sick of
Jarome Luai’s impact on their club and are hoping
his no-show at the end-of-season awards night is the last time they need to deal with him.
Luai is braced for strategic leaks about his time at Concord, but it wasn’t the club that alerted the media to him not attending the presentation night – it was his own social media post.
Tigers assistant coach Brett Hodgson.
Jarome Luai enjoys a drink on arrival at the Taumeasina Island Resort in Apia, Samoa.Instagram
But Luai gets singled out, so it’s only fair to highlight the fact he wasn’t the only one who failed to front. And as far as we know, Hodgson still has an important role next year.
Defence coach John Morris was not present after being shoved out the door a few days prior, and no one would expect him to front.
There is no question pressure is piling on Marshall.
Eighteen months on from the ugly exit of
Lachlan Galvin, whose management told the Tigers they had no faith in Marshall’s coaching, the word coming out of the Tigers is “regret”. There is mild anger and embarrassment as well, but it will never be conveyed publicly.
Luai is
laughing all the way to the bank – courtesy of a
tax-free contract at the Papua New Guinea Chiefs from 2028 and
third-party deals that come with it – and he is also upset with the way he was treated in the end by the Tigers.
Bulldogs halfback and player of the year, Lachlan Galvin.Getty Images
The coach and his staff put their faith in Luai to establish a strong culture. Privately, Marshall believes that culture and the make-up of the playing group need to change.
The
blow-up between Marshall and Adam Doueihi over a selection issue highlighted it.
Bust up: Benji Marshall and Adam Doueihi.Getty/Monique Westermann
It’s why the club is now trying to recruit “solid citizens” – like the Raiders’
Jayden Brailey. They should have a look at a homecoming for Manly five-eighth
Luke Brooks.
He’d probably return the barbecue they gifted him when he departed the club at the end of 2023.
The way Galvin was isolated by some at the Tigers has never been addressed, but there are those within the organisation who will privately concede it was wrong.
It was so bad that Galvin didn’t even want to entertain a $6 million, five-year offer from the Tigers and left for a three-and-a-half-year term at the Bulldogs worth about $700,000 a season. Some within the Tigers are calling it a textbook case of an inexperienced coach listening to his playing group.
Marshall is stubborn, but he knows change is needed. He’s the Tigers’ greatest player and a legend of the game.
Fire up ... Luke Brooks received a new barbecue from the Tigers as a leaving gift in 2023 after 11 seasons with the club.
But the truth is out there and can’t be ignored.
