Hull KR star Tyrone May opens up on his big "wake-up call" and growing up
Reformed Hull KR star Tyrone May says he’s grown up and will no longer play the victim.
The talented Australian stand-off is one of the Robins’ big signings ahead of next Thursday's Super League kick-off at Hull. He arrived after helping Catalans reach last year’s title decider and is seen as someone who could inspire KR to their first Grand Final. May has come a long way since being ditched by Penrith in 2021.
Having earlier narrowly avoided jail after filming sex tapes without consent, he later posted an inappropriate social media image which led to his sacking following the Panthers’ NRL Grand Final win. But May, 27, matured during his time in Perpignan and is ready to take his game to new levels in East Yorkshire. He said: “I think I’m way different [now].
"Even my closest friends would say that. Obviously, I had to grow up really quick with all the stuff that happened. When I look at myself back then I’d always use something as an excuse; in the back of my head, I’d feel I was a victim.
“But if it wasn’t for that stuff, as bad as it was, I wouldn’t have ended up where I am. It was a big wake-up call. Not just for me but the embarrassment it brought to everyone around me. I loved my time in France. It just helped me realise who I am as a person and helped me grow up. So, I don’t think I am the same person [from NRL days]. I’m obviously trying to change and level up every day."
Gay rugby league referee lifts lid on how coming out affected officiating career
May says he’s “immensely impressed” by KR’s squad as they bid to improve on last year’s Challenge Cup final appearance and top-four finish. His half-back partnership with young England ace Mikey Lewis, 22, should be fascinating. The Samoa international said: “Mikey has been killing it the back end of last year and games he played for England, he carved it up.
Hull KR's Tyrone May in action against Leeds (Tony Foster/Hull KR)"My job for him is just to create as much space as possible for him; let him run around and run amok and I’ll just try and control it and let him reign free. We’ll see how it works. It’ll take some time obviously. I don’t want to put any pressure on us to nail it straight away but as long as we’re good at the back end of the year we’ll be alright.”
That was a key question: who would be the controlling, guiding half in the pair given both are more used to playing the second fiddle, more individual schemer role? May said: “Naturally I think it’ll just come out in games. I don’t want him worrying about it too much. I just want him to play his natural game. He’s obviously a good ball-runner.
"He’s electric. The more I can create those spaces for him, and let him not think too much, that’ll be perfect. But we’ll see how that goes as the same can happen vice versa; he can do it for me, too. It’s exciting, especially with our spine. I can’t wait to start playing and see how that looks.”
And parts of KR’s make-up remind him of the great Penrith side due to face Wigan for the World Club Challenge. May, who grew up alongside the likes of superstars Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai in the Panthers team and played in the 2020 and 2021 Grand Finals, admitted: “It is similar to Penrith when we were all young and all coming through.
“There’s a lot of young guys here actually from Hull so I see the similarities there and how much it means to play not only for this jersey but the city. I know that feeling from being at Panthers with all your closest mates. They work just as hard here and it’s about me just bringing that edge, just the way I think and hopefully just being that little chessmaster and helping them here and there. But the talent’s littered throughout the squad and it’s just about flicking the switch and hitting the next level.”
Recalling his Penrith days and that vintage squad, May added: “There were a few of us. From our 20s squad about 20 ended up playing first-grade. We had Nath [Cleary], Romey [Luai], [James] Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota, Dylan Edwards… They were all in our juniors. Those combinations don’t really have to be worked on. You already know them. You know their background. All that stuff about team camaraderie is second to none as you’ve known them since they were eight years old. The boys here are the same. They’ve all grown up together. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
And there’s no better way that to start the season with the Hull derby. May, who essentially replaces Catalans-bound Jordan Abdull in Willie Peters’ squad, said: “No matter who you play you want to get off to a good start with a win.
“We know it’s not going to come easy. Obviously, it’ll be my first derby. It’ll have the feel of a big game but you have to prepare as usual. I’m looking forward to it. It’s weird because I’m one of the older people: in the spine last year, I had Mitchell [Pearce], Mickey [McIllorum] and Sammy T [Tomkins] so I was still the young buck!
“But now I’m just realising that and being able to be vocal and speak when I can.”
Premier League's £734m transfer window compared to Europe's other top leagues
Catalans’ hopes of winning Super League title fizzled out against Wigan in October’s decider when they failed to really ever get going. There was obvious disappointment there but May insisted: “You can’t replay the Grand Final again. You obviously play it again in your head a couple of times. The best thing is just to go back and watch those games. I know a lot of people don’t do it but I think that’s the only way to learn really.
“I look back at my notes and see how I prepared. You have to go through all those things and make sure you tick the boxes and are ready for the next game which, for me, will be round one. I have to make sure I’m all prepped and sharpening the tools.”
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
