May has his say: Unwanted Rooster hits back at off-field record prompted surprise exit

Terrell May has fired back at suggestions the Sydney Roosters want him off their salary cap because of his off-field behaviour.

May was on Thursday told to find a new club for 2025 in a surprising move given the 25-year-old only signed a two-year contract extension in April worth the best part of $1million.

The Roosters’ decision to tell May he was free to find a new home was also a shock given veteran prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has finished up with the club to take up a one-year deal with Hull KR in the Super League.

May enjoyed a career-best season in 2024 and outperformed Waerea-Hargreaves and fellow Roosters props Lindsay Collins and Spencer Leniu in nearly every statistical category.

The prop was informed of the club’s desire to offload him in a call with Roosters coach Trent Robinson earlier this week while he is on international duty with Samoa on their two-Test tour of England.

The initial reporting of May’s impending exit centred around whether the prop was a good fit for the club, but that suggestion was rubbished by the Samoan forward.

“(It has) nothing to do with off-field stuff,” May wrote on his Instagram.

The Roosters’ sudden decision to part ways with the forward has only increased speculation the club is eyeing a big fish in the NRL’s open market.

Former St George Illawarra captain Ben Hunt is a free agent, while Melbourne fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen was free to talk to rival clubs as of Friday.

Joey Manu has only signed a one-year deal with a Japanese rugby union side and could be lured back to the Roosters midway through the 2025 NRL season.

May, meanwhile, will have no shortage of offers on the table after his stellar 2024 campaign.

Canterbury have free salary-cap space following the club’s decision to sack Josh Addo-Carr on Thursday.

The Bulldogs were previously in the hunt for May’s signature before he extended his contract at the Roosters earlier this year.

Other likely landing spots are St George Illawarra and Wests Tigers, who are still searching for a replacement for the Melbourne-bound Stefano Utoikamanu.

The Tigers remain open to offloading English Test back-rower John Bateman, who has attracted interest from Manly.

The Sea Eagles are set to examine a move for Bateman over the coming weeks and won’t enter the race for May’s signature.