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Sport Nation
The player Joel and Fletch believe must be selected for State of Origin
Sam Kosack • April 28th, 2025 9:23 pm
Bryan Fletcher and Joel Caine believe Terrell May must make his Origin debut for the NSW Blues in State of Origin Game I after a standout start to the season.
May moved to the Wests Tigers in 2025 after being given permission to find a new club by the Sydney Roosters and has flourished in his new big minute role at the club.
The barnstorming prop has averaged 39 tackles and 181 metres over an incredible 72 minutes a game to firmly place himself in not only Origin contention, but also the conversation for buy of the year.
Bryan Fletcher, who made 14 Origin appearances for the Blues, believes the Wests Tigers’ prop is tailor made for the Origin arena.
“He has to have done enough (to play Origin),” Fletcher said on SEN 1170 Drive.
“Probably the biggest thing for him is that he doesn't miss tackles. We can look at his running metres and offloads but in Origin you have to look at defence because we’re not going to score many points and that’s why it’s so important to not miss tackles and make ineffective tackles.
“I don’t know how he can sustain this… I know he’s only a young kid so maybe Benji’s (Marshall) thinking he doesn’t need a rest. Maybe when he starts getting a couple of niggling injuries but right now, he doesn’t look tired.”
May has a tackle efficiency of 98.4 per cent in 2025, missing only five tackles from a total 319 attempts.
His incredible form to start the season sees May sitting second on the official Dally M leaderboard; two points behind current leader Will Kennedy, and two ahead of fellow Blues prop hopeful Payne Haas.
No prop has ever won the Dally M for best player.
Former Wests Tigers winger Joel Caine warned the club against locking May down on a long-term deal, instead suggesting paying him more per season over the short term.
“When you think about… where he is in his career, and then you think about the 10-year contract for Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and you think about the Jason Taumalolo contract… I wouldn't offer any of those big physical impact type players long-term contracts,” Caine said.
“It's a bit like the running back in the NFL. The problem with signing these guns to long contracts is it's so taxing; these big frames churning through such big metrics.
“It's so hard to be at the top of your game for so long, whereas a halfback, they're bopping around and I'm not saying they're in a dinner suit, but nothing like these big frames.
“I'd rather pay overs for a shorter period than tying him for a long time because they can quickly hit the wall.”
May is currently contracted to the Wests Tigers until the end of 2027 when the new broadcast deal and Collective Bargainning Agreement comes in.
