LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Laurie Daley has faced criticism for neglecting to contact Terrell May after his exclusion from the State of Origin 1 selection.
Many felt that May, who had been performing exceptionally well with the Wests Tigers, warranted a personal explanation, a courtesy typically extended to players who are dropped following their prior inclusion.
Acknowledging his oversight, Daley has since met with May to clarify his decision.
According to reports from The Daily Telegraph, Daley arranged a meeting over coffee at Concord last week to discuss May's current position within the NSW setup and the reasons behind his non-selection.
Daley remarked, "I've had a lot of meetings with a lot of players around Origin, but I prefer to keep those conversations private.
It was a good chat."
Despite expectations surrounding May's potential selection-especially following the absence of incumbent captain Jake Trbojevic-Daley opted for Max King on the bench and included Stefano Utoikamanu in the extended squad.
With Mitch Barnett out for the season due to a ruptured ACL, there's speculation that Daley will elevate King to a starting position and include Utoikamanu on the game roster for Origin 2.
As it stands, May is unlikely to be considered for the second game, with Souths forward Keaon Koloamatangi having surpassed him in the selection process.
Discussion surrounding May's exclusion took a contentious turn when Tigers coach Benji Marshall suggested that biases tied to May's name may have played a role.
There's ongoing confusion regarding why the Roosters released May this year, but Marshall indicated that perceptions linked to his family background might influence how he is viewed.
Overall, the situation encapsulates the complexities surrounding player selection and the sometimes-unforeseen factors that can affect decisions made by coaches at this level.