Rejuvenated Taylan May aiming for Origin
George Clarke |
Taylan May has put his faith in a regimen of raw milk, therapy and regular fasting as he targets a NSW State of Origin call-up less than 12 months after being saved from the NRL scrapheap.
May arrived at Wests Tigers as a free agent midway through last season after domestic violence-related charges – which were the catalyst for his sacking from his boyhood club Penrith – were dropped.
The 24-year-old centre scored four tries in seven games for the Tigers last year and believes he can take things up a gear in 2026 with a full pre-season under his belt.
“I’m just scratching the surface. I haven’t really had too many NRL games, I should have more than what I have,” May said.
“Trying to make Origin is my goal. Every kid wants to play that growing up and those were the only games I ever watched.
“When I first came in, I wanted to make Origin but obviously, what happened with my life outside of the field, I didn’t get that chance.
“I feel I can go to another level … I haven’t really got to show what I can properly do and if I play well, hopefully I get the chance to make it.”
When it’s put to him that there are several other well-credentialed centres, such as Stephen Crichton and Latrell Mitchell, to compete with, May replied: “Yeah, they (NSW) are (stacked). But you’d be stupid not to have that confidence in yourself. If you put your mind to it you can achieve anything.”
Conquering his mental state has been one of the biggest challenges for May, whose talent was never in doubt when he became a regular for the Panthers in 2022.
His off-field struggles led to him seeking professional help which culminated in a bipolar diagnosis last year.
“I always felt different. I just didn’t know what it was and when I finally got diagnosed, there’s like a relief off my shoulders,” May said.
“I see a therapist and I have my own psychologist. For me, it was a relief because when I was young my parents didn’t understand – I felt that I was the weird one.
“I take these tablets, I don’t touch anything else, but I feel like they’re working.
“My wife’s helped me a lot to be honest, she’s always known I’ve had something.
“I didn’t ever want to put a label on it because I was never into this stuff. I thought mental health was fake, but honestly now I’m checked into it I see the signs and, yeah, it’s real.”
May’s mental wellbeing goes hand in hand with his diet.
The Samoan international has sworn off processed food because it gives him “mad belly pains” and regularly fasts in a bid to stay in top shape.
“Physically and mentally you can tell the difference,” May said.
“I try and get raw milk and get everything organically. Just stay off that processed stuff … I found heaps of benefits.
“I jumped on it when I did my ACL and I was the fittest I’ve ever been and I’ve jumped on it again now and it’s been helping me.”
AAP