Penrith Panthers star outside back Taylan May has revealed he doubted himself over his move to centre ahead of the 2024 NRL season.
Formerly a winger, May has spent all of the last 12 months learning the centre position after ending his 2023 campaign before it began with an ACL injury in the World Club Challenge loss to St Helens.
With Stephen Crichton departing the club, and the emergence of Sunia Turuva on the wing in his absence, May had multiple discussions with coach Ivan Cleary before eventually making the call to return as a centre.
The move has worked so far, with May making a sensational start to the new season and recently signing a new deal to remain with the Penrith Panthers beyond the end of his expiring contract.
May revealed to SEN Radio that he had plenty of doubts around his ability to play in the centres and was "struggling" particularly in defence up until the World Club Challenge this year.
โI feel like I focused on that more than anything, my defence because I know how hard it is,โ May said on SEN 1170 Mower's Club.
โPenrith, our ability to defend, we back our defence and that's mainly what I wanted to get down pack, I thought my attack would be alright to be honest, I wasn't really focused too much on that.
โBut defence, I was just watching a few people, I struggled at the start of pre-season to be honest in the centres, I was questioning myself if I was ready for it but then I guess that Wigan game and all that it just built my confidence.
โI knew training was going to be the hardest to defend so I was just thinking, โIf I can get my training reps in and perform in the game then I'm sure it'll get easier'.
โAs I keep going the defence (is getting easier), I'm starting to get way more used to it.โ
May, who has played 26 NRL games and another five Tests for Samoa, revealed that it was watching Stephen Crichton at training last year which taught him how to play the position after making the call to switch there.
โI just watched Critta, every training session I was following his movements, even though I couldn't run I was just watching from afar, that's how I learned," May said.
The centre is yet to cross the tryline this year, but has made a try assist, 12 tackle busts, 2 line breaks and 115 metres per game to date for the Panthers while also defending at an impressive 91 per cent tackle efficiency.
