May putting Roosters’ exit behind him under Benji Marshall

Prop Terrell May believes that his best football is ahead of him, with the new West Tigers’ recruit finding fresh motivation in the NRL under coach Benji Marshall.

May was famously cut from the Sydney Roosters just months after signing a contract extension, with rumours that the 25-year-old struggled for motivation at the club.

However, having had a rigorous pre-season at the Tigers, he is now ready to put that behind him and show what he is capable of on the field.

“I can’t really talk about it, I’m more like I want to put it into actions,” he said.

“I don’t want to talk and then not walk the walk.

“I just want to show you when the season starts.”

The Tigers and Roosters had very different seasons in 2024, with the Roosters placing third and the Tigers claiming their third consecutive wooden spoon.

However, May believes that there is something different about the atmosphere this year under Marshall.

“I just feel like it’s a family-based club, which every club is family-based, but it’s different here because the coach is actually all about family,” he said.

“It’s more like he comes up to you and talks to you every day, even all the boys.

“It’s kind of the same, but I just feel like it’s a different vibe because the coach is such an engaging person.

“He’ll come and chat and joke. So it’s different, but it’s hectic.

“I’ve known Benji for a while now, so it’s good to come in and for him to still be the same person and put his family first.”

Top sports bookmakers are somewhat optimistic about the Tigers’ chances in 2025, with Bet365 listing them as a $41 hope to win the title.

Recommended!

The Better Bettors!

Australian-owned and operated bookmaker!

Join MarantelliBet

18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?

Fast Payouts

50% matched deposit up to USD $5,000

Visit BetOnline

May himself credits the culture built by Marshall, as well as a pre-season marathon, for turning around his lack of motivation.

“I wasn’t really training,” he said.

“Something happened at home and I stopped training and started eating bad.

“I was like, stuff it, I already said I was going to do a marathon, so I’m not going to lie to people and I just did the marathon.

“Not at a good pace, but I just wanted to complete it.”

“I just felt like I needed something to make my mental state.

“Like if I can do this, I can do anything.

“So I wanted to come into pre-season and think if I’m going through a hard time or a hard day, I’ll just look back at the marathon and think nothing’s harder than the marathon I did.

“Because it was hard, man.”

Sports news