James Tamou’s NRL career is on life support as he faces a three-match ban for his expletive-laden outburst at referee Ben Cummins in the Tigers’ record-breaking loss to the Roosters on Saturday night.
The co-captain, who labelled Cummins “f—— incompetent”, will learn whether he will get a chance to play in the NRL again if he faces the judiciary panel on Tuesday night.
He can accept a two-game ban with an early guilty plea after being hit with a grade three contrary conduct charge, but will miss three matches if he unsuccessfully fights it at the judiciary.
The 33-year-old is without a contract for next year and there’s only two games left this season.
Tamou immediately fronted the media and apologised for his tirade on Saturday night, in which Cummins originally sin-binned him for dissent, before then sending him off after the “incompetent” remark.
It’s the second time in a matter of months an NRL player has been sent off for abusing a match official, with Melbourne’s Brandon Smith banned for three matches after he called referee Adam Gee a “cheating b——” in the Storm’s heavy loss to the Sharks.
Tamou’s send off capped a horror night for the Tigers, who were thumped 72-6 in a 12-tries-to-one mauling at the SCG.
More to come
