In short:
Taylan May has been released by the NRL three-time defending premiers, the Penrith Panthers.
May was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of stalking but denies all charges.
What's next?
May can begin negotiations with rival NRL clubs, but remains subject to the NRL's no-fault stand-down policy until at least March 2025.
Taylan May's bitter fallout with Penrith has taken another turn after the centre was released by the NRL club.
AAP understands the Panthers have agreed a payout with May, who late last month had threatened to sue the NRL club for attempting to terminate his contract amid an ongoing legal battle after he was charged with domestic violence offences.
May could now begin negotiations with rival clubs, although he will remain subject to the NRL's no-fault stand-down policy until at least March 2025, when his case is next due to be heard.
He has been stood down by the NRL since May after being charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of stalking, relating to an alleged incident involving his wife on April 8.
The 22-year-old has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
May had re-signed with the Panthers in March but the triple reigning premiers sought to terminate his contract during his stand-down, given the player's backlog of off-field incidents.
In August 2022, May was found guilty of assaulting a man in Queensland during Penrith's grand-final celebrations the previous year, though no conviction was recorded.
He also raised eyebrows when a video was posted to social media earlier this year showing him in the passenger seat of a speeding car.
The Panthers had insisted the latest attempt to terminate May's contract was not solely related to his ongoing court case.
May pledged to sue the Panthers in late June, claiming the attempt to end his time at the club was unlawful.
But on Friday, the Panthers announced the Samoa international had agreed to a parting of the ways.
"Taylan May is departing the Penrith Panthers effective immediately and is seeking other opportunities," the statement said.
AAP
Posted