Footy star Taylan May gets the most extreme tattoo in the NRL

Panthers star Taylan May has unveiled his shocking new tattoo after getting his surname inked on his neck in huge letters.

The 22-year-old showed off the design on Instagram on Tuesday, with a pair of videos showing him getting the work done at a Sydney tattoo shop that has also had his teammate Brian To’o as a customer.

Footage shows the centre getting prepared for the eye-popping design at Culture Ink & Tattoo, then showing off his neck ink accompanied by the 2Pac song Only God Can Judge Me.

The 22-year-old endured what must have been a very painful session at a Sydney tattoo parlour that also has his teammate Brian To’o as a customer

May also posted a shot of him showing off the tattoo in a car while American rapper Sleepy Hallow’s song All The Way plays in the background.

The Panthers star isn’t short on eye-catching ink, with the word ‘pain’ tattooed underneath his right eye, a broken heart under his left and ‘Meliodas’ – the name of an anime character – written right across his chest.

‘I’m real impulsive and I always wanted tattoos on my face because I wanted to see how quickly people change and judge towards me,’ he said last year.

‘Automatically people with face tatts are treated like they want to be tough or that they’re scary.

‘I feel like I was reaching out for help deep down inside at the time so I put “pain” on my face.

‘I get asked about it and try and avoid the question but it’s where I was at.

The Panthers ace said he got his two face tatts – ‘pain’ under his right eye and a broken heart under his left (pictured) – to see how quickly people judge him based on his appearance

‘A lot of people judge too quick. Sometimes that’s how I do portray myself but if you did meet me and have a chat with me I’d like to think I’m totally different.’

May made headlines earlier this year when he left Broncos star Reece Walsh with a facial fracture in a controversial hit.

In the opening minutes of Penrith’s 34-12 win in round three, May ran out of the defensive line and hit Walsh just after the Broncos No.1 passed the ball, with the pair clashing heads.

Walsh fell to the turf bleeding from his face and, despite passing his head injury assessment, was unable to continue playing.

May (pictured getting prepared for his new tattoo) was involved in a controversial tackle in round three that left Broncos star Reece Walsh with a broken eye socket

Broncos coach Kevin Walters was incensed that the NRL’s match review committee (MRC) opted not to charge May for the hit, with Walsh expected to miss at least a month injured.

The hit drew comparisons to a clash from the 2022 season, when Cronulla forward Dale Finucane clashed heads with ball-runner Stephen Crichton and received a two-game ban.

NRL football boss Graham Annesley later said he should have been charged over the incident.