‘Timing wasn’t proper’: How breakout Roosters star Terrell May nearly joined Storm

“To be honest, I was going to sign there, but then I ended up debuting here last year,” mentioned May, who has emerged as a star of the longer term alongside fellow younger gun Siua Wong.

“I flew over but they wanted me to move down there too quickly. I’m a very family oriented guy, so I couldn’t leave my family, otherwise I would have gone.

“I’m glad I stayed and I’m happy here.

“They (Storm coach Craig Bellamy and head of football Frank Ponissi) are very good people. I really enjoyed talking to those guys. The timing just wasn’t right to leave my friends and family.

“It was pretty weird because I didn’t know anything about the Storm wanting me, and then I flew over. But my focus is here, not elsewhere.”

May’s determination has proved telling for each groups, with the Storm missing punch off the bench, whereas the Roosters have benefited drastically from having him with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves suspended.

It’s an extended journey from western Sydney to Moore Park, however the man who loves his stylish vogue gadgets matches proper into the Roosters regardless that he admits issues weren’t figuring out earlier within the yr and he was dropped to order grade.

“There was a lot of stuff that I had to work on,” he mentioned.

“I had to go back down (to reserve grade) to gain confidence because a lot of that was gone at the time.

“I felt like I wasn’t ready for first grade, but Robbo (coach Trent Robinson) would speak to me every week and told me stuff that I had to work on for my Cup games. There were a couple of injuries and I was lucky enough to come back to first grade.

“Robbo and I had different opinions on a few things at the time. But what I’m doing now is all off the back of the boys and the coaching staff, so I have to thank them.”

That contains an enormous sport towards Souths within the ultimate sport of the common season the place he ran for 163 metres off the bench, whereas his footwork and offload up Joseph Manu’s strive within the epic win over Cronulla final week.

May’s affect on the facet hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Victor Radley heaping reward on the rising star, even when he has to take care of him after they go to the seashore.

“A lot of the boys can’t swim so they stay (where the water) is up to their waist,” he joked.

“That’s why I’m on lifeguard duties at recovery sessions.

“In the pre-season he had the nickname ‘the Brick’. You’d get stung when he runs at you.

“He’s been enormous for us. Whenever he comes on the field, I lift with energy.

“He’s a machine and he’s ballsy, so he’ll go after moments and has been doing it all year.”

A deep finals run can be nothing new for the May household given his brothers Tyrone and Taylan have each loved success with Penrith over time.

You’d assume the pair would give Terrell some recommendation forward of the largest sport of his profession, however apparently that’s not the case.

“We don’t talk footy at my household at all. My brothers and I stay away from that stuff and we just relax,” he defined.

“I think that’s for the best because if we think about footy too much then you go into games all stressed out. We’re really chilled and we don’t like to think about all that.

“We have other things to talk about like my little nephew – Taylan’s kid – and other family stuff.

“We also love boxing and UFC, so we talk about that a lot. I need to train a bit more if I want to get in the ring one day, so I’m just helping my little brother (Taylan) because I think he’s going to have another fight later this year.”