Taylan May will know as early as Monday if he has been stood down from the game as his Penrith side refused to blame their shock loss to the New Zealand Warriors on his weekend arrest.
May was charged in relation to a domestic violence incident in which he allegedly punched a woman in the face.
Loading
The 22-year-old was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear before Penrith Local Court on May 28.
The NRL is still reviewing the police facts and charges before making any decisions or comments on the matter.
Sources with knowledge of the situation but not authorised to speak publicly confirmed to this masthead a call on May would be made in the next 48 hours.
The game has a no-fault stand-down policy for players facing serious charges that carry a minimum 11-year jail sentence, while the NRL has also adopted a zero-tolerance approach to violence against women.
Taylan May will lear as early as Monday if he has been stood down from the game.Getty
The same sources confirmed May was expected to be stood down from training this week as the premiers prepare for their blockbuster clash against table-toppers Cronulla.
May, 22, remained in Sydney over the weekend. Police arrested him at 5am on Saturday.
The Panthers looked like a team distracted against the Warriors, but coach Ivan Cleary and star player Jarome Luai were quick to dismiss suggestions the May arrest had left players flat.
“No, I don’t think so,” said Cleary, when asked about the arrest playing on the players’ minds.
“We just get on with life. We were here to play footy, that’s what we did, we just didn’t play well enough.”
Luai added: “Definitely not. We don’t use anything as an excuse. We turn every page in our preparation, and that’s what it came down to.”
The Panthers had a chance to draw level in the final minute when Dylan Edwards pushed a 38m penalty goal to the right. Warriors players celebrated the 22-20 win in front of a healthy number of fans inside Suncorp Stadium.
Penrith led 10-4 at the break before Isaah Yeo was marched to the bin for a professional foul, and the Warriors raced in two tries. Yeo was filthy with himself.
“We made it hard on ourselves, and just stupidity, I’m supposed to be a leader, I made a bad judgement call early in the second half, and when you know we’re already not at our best, I go to the sin-bin and all of a sudden they score two,” Yeo said.
“It made the day hard. That was poor leadership.
“‘Ive’ [Cleary] touched on it in the sheds that individually and collectively we weren’t good enough today.”
Nathan Cleary is out with a hamstring injury, and Yeo said it was on his teammates to win without him.
“Any time you’re missing the best player in the game, he’s your No. 7 and our captain, it’s always going to be tough, but we’ve done it before, and it’s certainly not an excuse,” he said.
When told Cleary looked angry at the post-match press conference, Luai said: “So he should be. We didn’t play our greatest footy today. We did all right to give ourselves a chance to win at the back end of the game, but we need to be a lot better next week to go up against the Sharkies.”
James Fisher-Harris was placed on report for a hip-drop tackle on Dylan Walker, while Warriors fullback Taine Tuaupiki was a livewire and crossed for his first try in the NRL.
The Warriors were facing a fifth straight loss, but deserved the win, and would have been entitled to blow up had Edwards kicked the final goal given Penrith’s Jack Cole had appeared to knock the ball on in the lead-up.
4.20pm on May 19, 2024
Highlights from a Magic Round boilover
By
Loading
3.45pm on May 19, 2024
Stats: How the Warriors downed the premiers
By
Advertisement
3.37pm on May 19, 2024
Edwards misses critical penalty shot
By
Inside the final five now. Penrith attacking. Pretty one-out stuff. Luai with a grubber and Tuaupiki covers it fantastically. Big play. Three minutes left and the Warriors are hanging on to what could be a famous win.
Although we might have spoken too soon. Penrith are again pressing late. And there’s a massive penalty. Thirty five metres out. Dylan Edwards is taking the shot at the two. Jack Cole was hammered jumping for a ball and juggled the ball.
The Warriors thought it was a knock-on and stripped the ball from him - hence the penalty. It wasn’t. And so Edwards is lining up. Kicks long… and misses. He’s pushed it to the right. That’s surely the game. Thirty seconds to go. And now there’s none to go. Warriors win.
Panthers 20 Warriors 22
The Warriors celebrate during their shock win over Penrith.Getty
3.30pm on May 19, 2024
Try: Warriors hit the lead after JFH hip-drop tackle
By
Drama for James Fisher-Harris, cited for a hip-drop, or dangerous contact, if you want to get technical. Dylan Walker grimaced as the big man came down on his ankle, certainly had all the hallmarks of the hip-drop and that’ll keep the MRC busy tomorrow.
Warriors on the attack now. And Warriors are in. Taine Tuaupiki is in - he’s been strong since sending that very first kick-off out on the full. Te Maire Martin draws Luai in off his assignment with a few dummies and then Tuaupiki skips around his man to score. Seven minutes to play and the Warriors take a two-point lead after the young fullback shaves the upright and nudges the goal over from out wide. Outstanding stuff.
Panthers 20 Warriors 22
3.24pm on May 19, 2024
Try: Tago breaks the deadlock
By
And Nico’s hardly Nostradamus tipping Penrith to prevail, but Izack Tago has followed him in with what could be the game-breaking try in the 67th minute. Jarome Luai again in the thick of it leading up to that one, very impressive day out in the No.7 for him, even among all of Penrith’s errors.
It’s Jack Cole down the right with Dylan Edwards chiming in to create the overlap and Tago does the rest. No conversion from Edwards though, it’s still a four-point game. Panthers 20 Warriors 16
Advertisement
3.22pm on May 19, 2024
Nicolussi: Scores are level, but Penrith are home
By
3.20pm on May 19, 2024
Critical penalties pile up for Warriors
By
Penrith on the march now thanks to a seven-tackle set from a Te Maire Martin kick that runs long. And then Jackson Ford is on report for a lifting tackle that delivers a penalty.
Luai marshalling them right, skips, jumps to the outset and Sunia Turuva loses the ball as he’s gunning for the corner. Another penalty though for a high tackle by CNK in denying Turuva a try. The dance continues.
Panthers 16 Warriors 16
3.11pm on May 19, 2024
Try: Yeo returns and levels up
By
Isaah Yeo is back out there and Penrith are back to 13. But the Warriors have their tales up and are hammering the Panthers edges, young Ali Leiataua - the nephew of club icon Ali Lauiti’iti - almost goes through again. Only some desperate goal line defence denies him.
Loading
Penrith are on the attack soon after but it’s still clunky, though Luai is threatening when he runs. And that’s what sets up the next try.
Luai gets a quick play the ball and then Mitch Kenny sends Yeo through a yawning gap close to the ruck. Dylan Walker completely misreads the play and Yeo has five metres either side to work with. So he scores. Back to level again.
Panthers 16 Warriors 16
Advertisement
3.03pm on May 19, 2024
Try: Warriors pick apart Penrith’s 12-man defence
By
And another! The Wahs, they’re up alright. It’s a carbon copy of the last try, just on the other side. Te Maire Martin isolates his namesake Liam in the Panthers 12-man defensive line. And then it’s shelling peas, Adam Pompey cruises through to score. The Warriors are in front for the first time with half an hour to play. Taine Tuaupiki converts too for a six-point lead.