Fans have been left scratching their heads, as the NRL handed Taylan May a two-match suspension, but he’s free to play this weekend’s final against Parramatta.
Usually when an athlete gets handed a suspension, they cancel their immediate plans. But for Penrith young gun Taylan May, that won’t be the case.
The 21-year-old has been handed a two-match suspension, being found guilty of assault occasioning bodily harm. It’s been determined, though, he won’t have to serve his sentence until the start of next year.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe incident happened last October during the Panthers’ premiership celebrations, with May finally facing the charge last week. The muddled timeline has given the NRL a convenient reason to hit pause on the punishment.
It brings into question the purpose behind the suspension, which sends mixed messages to fans. It somewhat defies convention of a punishment being about reflecting and learning from a mistake. The NRL’s move is an acknowledgement of fault, but a suggestion it’s not that serious.
In the past, star players have missed some of the most important games of their careers; finals, State of Origin clashes and even Grand Finals. And those were punishments for on-field indiscretions.
Cameron Smith, Storm captain at the time, missed the 2008 decider after being charged with a grade one grapple tackle in his side’s Prelim encounter. Melbourne lost that GF to Manly 40-nil, sorely missing their most important player and all that he brought.
These on-field incidents happen in a blink of an eye and are accidental in most cases. But for May, he made a conscious decision to grab an 18-year-old by the collar and throw him to the ground.
Withholding his ban until next season sets a dangerous and confusing precedent, at a time that fans are feeling disoriented rather frequently.
The most effective learning experience for May would be missing Penrith’s Friday night final with Parramatta, as a starting point. The club only last month accepted Nathan Cleary’s five-week lifting ban without appeal, satisfied it didn’t bleed into the post-season. May and the Panthers know they have dodged another bullet.
