Premiers Penrith are currently searching for a hooker to replace Tigers-bound Api Koroisau in 2023 – and one man high on their list is one of their own.
Disgraced utility Tyrone May was sacked by the club after the grand final and, significantly, signed just a one-year deal with Super League club Catalans.
A senior Panthers source told me that May – a halfback who can also fill in at hooker – could be headed back to the fold for 2023.
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“He had to go after a series of breaches but there is a feeling that he will have served his punishment with a year away from his mates,” the source told Wide World of Sports.
“Tyrone has made some mistakes but he is still young and he will have learned from this.
“He is an extremely popular member of the group and the boys want him back.”
The Panthers terminated May’s deal after a “serious breach of his NRL playing contract” in relation to a social media comment he posted following Penrith’s grand final win over South Sydney.
May made reference to his 2019 court case in which he pleaded guilty to intentionally recording an intimate image without consent.
He took the image down, but the damage was done and May also had several previous strikes against his name.
But rugby league loves a good redemption story and the club will monitor May’s behaviour in his year in France before making a final decision.
Dolphins look to future beyond Bennett
Don’t be surprised if the Dolphins make a play for newly-appointed Leigh coach Adrian Lam to join Wayne Bennett’s coaching staff for their debut season in 2023.
Lam is close to Bennett, having worked with him at the Dragons, and boasts an impressive coaching resume.
The former star halfback is currently assistant coach to Mal Meninga with the Kangaroos and was crowned Super League Coach of the Year at Wigan last year.
Many good judges see Lam as a first grade coach in waiting and could succeed Bennett when he eventually hangs up the clipboard.
Dragons win race for highly-rated youngster
Hooker has become the most sought-after position in the NRL in recent weeks and the Dragons have found a good one in young Kiwi Navajo Doyle.
The speedy 18-year-old, who can also play halfback, is a product of famous rugby school Kings College.
Several Super Rugby franchises and rival NRL clubs were chasing Doyle but he was persuaded to join the Dragons by club official and former favourite son Shaun Timmins.
The promising youngster will start 2022 in the Steelers’ SG Ball but could easily be playing in the top grade within the next 12 months.
Bulldogs lock up boom rookie
It’s no secret that the Bulldogs are desperate for a quality halfback – and the good news is that they have found one.
But the bad news is that Iverson Matai is just 17 and it will probably be a couple of seasons before he is pushing for top grade selection.
A product of Endeavour Sports High School, Matai played in the Harold Matts Cup for the Dogs this year and his red-hot form saw at least three rival clubs chasing him.
He opted to stay at Belmore, signing a three-year deal, and is a kid who could develop into something special.
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