Terrell May has vehemently denied claims he was the player who vaped in Wests Tigers' gym, claiming his surname made him an easy target for critics questioning the club's culture.
As he warned his availability for Samoa’s Rugby League World Cup campaign was up in the air, May addressed the innuendo that has surrounded him since the Adam Doueihi saga exploded last month.
While May was not specifically mentioned by name, reports emerged that one of Doueihi’s gripes with the club was that players were vaping or carrying man bags while doing weight sessions.
Many were quick to point to May, who frequently wears a cross-body satchel, and brother Taylan as the cause of the club’s cultural issues.
But the Tigers prop, who has previously run marathons in his off-season and swears by a clean diet, was shocked to hear his name linked to the rumours.
"It's funny how people straight away tossed my name up when really I had nothing to do with any of that stuff," May told AAP.
"I feel like it just happens all the time, that whenever stuff goes down here, (people say) 'I bet you it's the May boys'. So I'm used to it.
"I don't have any social media anymore, so I don't see any of it, until people in my family started texting me saying, 'When did you start vaping and and doing all this stuff?'
"I was like, 'Oh, I never did', and they're like, 'Oh, everyone in the media is saying you were vaping, you and your brother.'
"I just started laughing at them, saying, 'How are you gonna believe these guys when I don't even do it when it's away from the cameras. But it is what it is, it's an easy target … they don't want to see us succeed.”
May will play in the Tigers' final regular-season clash with Penrith on Sunday and admits to being dissatisfied with his form in 2026.
The prop would love to prove his worth with Samoa but is unsure if he will be available as he weighs up off-season surgery after injuring a deltoid ligament in his ankle by stepping on a teammate’s foot in a boxing session.
"I did that at training but have played with it all year," said May, who will sit down with Tigers medical staff and discuss his surgery options next week.
"I want to come back early and have a good pre-season - I had a few issues in the pre-season and came back really underdone.
"But then again, I've never played a World Cup and to play for your country is not an easy thing to do.
"It happens every four years so we're still tossing that up."
Samoa are already without prop Payne Haas and the loss of May would be another blow for coach Ben Gardiner.
In some welcome news for Samoa, Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo confirmed on Wednesday Stephen Crichton would be free to play at the World Cup after battling shoulder issues this year.
"Since the Origin period, his body's been pretty good, and he's had a really good back half of the season," Ciraldo said.
"Playing for Samoa means a lot to him and we're excited to see him on the big stage."
