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| Full name | James Tamou | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1988-12-13)13 December 1988 (age 36) Palmerston North, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 195 cm (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 115 kg (18 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Relatives | Kenny Edwards (cousin) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James Tamou (born 13 December 1988) is a former professionalrugby league footballer who plays as aprop for theTownsville Blackhawks in theQueensland Cup.
Tamou spent two stints in the National Rugby League (NRL) with theNorth Queensland Cowboys, with whom he won the2015 NRL Grand Final. He also played for thePenrith Panthers, who he captained to the2020 NRL Grand Final, and theWests Tigers. He played at representative level forAustralia,New South Wales, theNew Zealand Māori,NSW City, and theNRL All Stars.
Tamou was born inPalmerston North, New Zealand. He is ofMāori (Muaūpoko) and (Ngā Rauru) and is also ofDanish descent.[3][4]
He began playing junior rugby league inLevin for the Levin Knights in New Zealand. At the age of 13, Tamou moved with his family to Australia. He then played his junior rugby league for thePaddington Tigers and attendedMatraville Sports High School in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.[5]
In 2007, he was theSydney RoostersJersey Flegg Cup Player of the Year and was selected to play for theJunior Kiwis.[6][7] Tamou played for the Roosters'NYC team in 2008 and was one of the club's best performers, before signing for theNorth Queensland Cowboys for the 2009 season.[8]
In 2008, he representedNew Zealand Maori, when they playedIndigenous Dreamtime team in the2008 World Cup curtain raiser, playing off the interchange bench in the 34–26 loss atSydney Football Stadium.[9]
In round 8, Tamou made his NRL debut against theParramatta Eels where he played off the interchange bench and scored a try in North Queensland's 18–28 loss atParramatta Stadium.[10] He finished hisdebut year in the NRL with 12 matches and two tries.
In2010, Tamou was named the North Queensland club's most improved player of the year, after playing in 19 matches and scoring a try. His good form was rewarded that year, when he re-signed with North Queensland for a further three years.[11] On 16 October, Tamou once again represented New Zealand Māori when they facedEngland before the start of the2010 Four Nations tournament.[12]
On 12 April, Tamou and teammateBlake Leary were suspended by the North Queensland club for one game for "breaking team alcohol rules".[13] Tamou later played a major part in North Queensland's surge to the finals, finishing theseason with him playing in 23 matches and scoring two tries. He averaged 108 metres per game.[14] In September, Tamou was selected inNew Zealand's train-on squad for theFour Nations, although he was not selected in the final squad.[15]
In April, despite just weeks earlier expressing his desire to represent New Zealand, Tamou pledged his allegiance toAustralia andNew South Wales. Tamou had received phone calls from then New South Wales coachRicky Stuart and captainPaul Gallen about making the switch.[16][17] On 20 April, Tamou made his Australian international in theAnzac Test, playing off the interchange bench in the 20–12 win atEden Park.[18] On 22 May, Tamou made hisState of Origin debut for New South Wales, starting at prop in the Blues 10–18 loss atDocklands Stadium inMelbourne.[19][20] Tamou played in all three games of theseries.[21]
The2012 NRL season was a breakout year for Tamou, playing in 24 matches and scoring two tries as well as averaging more metres per game than any other prop in the NRL. On 13 October, Tamou played for Australia in the trans-Tasman test, where he started at prop and scored a try in the 18–10 victory.[22] On 10 December, Tamou re-signed with the Cowboys, keeping him at the club to the end of the 2016 season.[23]
On 19 April, Tamou was selected for Australia in theAnzac Test, starting at prop in the 32–12 win atCanberra Stadium in what was the firsttest match ever played inCanberra.[24] In game 1 of the2013 State of Origin series, Tamou was selected for New South Wales and started at prop in a 14–6 victory overQueensland atANZ Stadium.[25] Less than a week later, Tamou was fined $20,000 by the NRL and suspended for two NRL matches for drink driving and driving unlicensed in Townsville on 11 June.[26] He was suspended for the second Origin match.[27] Tamou returned in game 3, where New South Wales lost 12–10, resulting in Queensland winning the series 2–1.[28]
In the club's elimination final match against theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Tamou played his 100th NRL match in the 20–18 loss atSydney Football Stadium.[29] Tamou finished theyear with 22 appearances for North Queensland. In October, he played for Australia in theWorld Cup, playing in 6 matches and scoring a try in the tournament.[30] Tamou started at prop in the Kangaroos 34–2 World Cup Final victory over New Zealand atOld Trafford inManchester.[31]
In February, Tamou was a member of North Queensland's victoriousAuckland Nines side and was named in the Team of the Tournament.[32] On 2 May, Tamou played in the2014 Anzac Test against New Zealand, playing off the interchange bench in the 30–18 win.[33] For the2014 State of Origin series, Tamou played in all 3 matches in the Blues 2–1 series win, resulting in New South Wales winning its first series win since the2005.[34] In round 20, against theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Tamou injured his neck, resulting with him being sidelined for a month.[35] He returned in round 24.[36] Tamou finished theseason with him playing in 21 matches and scoring one try. He underwent neck surgery at the end of the season, ruling him out of Australia'sFour Nations campaign.[37]
Early into theseason, rumours were floating around about Tamou was going to offloaded from North Queensland to theCanberra Raiders after his bad performances in the Cowboys first 3 losses off the season, but later on Tamou returned to his best form when North Queensland went on their 11 match winning streak.[38] On 3 May, Tamou played in theAnzac Test, playing off the interchange bench in the 12–26 loss.[39] In the2015 State of Origin series, Tamou played in all three matches, starting at prop for the Blues in their 2–1 series loss.[40] On 4 October, Tamou was a member of North Queensland's2015 NRL Grand Final winning side, starting at prop and scoring a try in the side's 17–16 victory over theBrisbane Broncos.[41][42] Tamou finished his successfulyear with him playing in 24 matches and scoring two tries.
On 2 February, Tamou played for North Queensland in theAuckland Nines.[43] On 21 February 2016, Tamou was a member of the Cowboys'World Club Challenge winning side, starting at prop in the side's 38–4 victory over theLeeds Rhinos atHeadingley Stadium.[44] On 6 May 2016, Tamou played forAustralia againstNew Zealand, playing off the interchange bench in the 16–0 win atHunter Stadium.[45] On 16 June 2016, it was announced that Tamou had signed a four-year deal with thePenrith Panthers.[46][47] In the2016 State of Origin series, Tamou played in all 3 matches forNew South Wales in their 2–1 series loss.[48] Tamou finished his last year with theNorth Queensland Cowboys with him playing in 25 matches and scoring two tries in the2016 NRL season.
In February 2017, Tamou was named in Penrith's2017 NRL Auckland Nines squad.[49] In round 1 of the2017 NRL season, Tamou made his club debut for thePenrith Panthers against theSt George Illawarra Dragons, where he started at prop in the 10–42 loss atJubilee Oval.[50]
In 2018, Tamou was not selected in the NSW BluesState of Origin squad for the second year in a row despite Penrith being on top of the table after 13 rounds and the player showing good form.[51]
Tamou played a total of 25 games for Penrith in 2018 as the club qualified for the finals but were eliminated by Cronulla in week two of the finals series.[52]
Tamou made a total of 24 appearances for Penrith in the2019 NRL season as the club finished a disappointing 10th place and missed out on the finals for the first time since 2015.[53]
Tamou played 22 games for Penrith in the2020 NRL season as the club won theMinor Premiership and went on a 17-game unbeaten run to reach the2020 NRL Grand Final. Tamou captained Penrith in the final where they lost to Melbourne 26–20. This would be Tamou's final game for the side as he had signed a contract to join theWests Tigers in 2021.[54]
In round 1 of the2021 NRL season, he made his debut for Wests Tigers in a 30–12 loss against Canberra.[55]Tamou played a total of 19 games for theWests Tigers in the2021 NRL season as the club finished 13th and missed the finals.[56]
In round 23 of the2022 NRL season, Tamou was sent off for dissent in Wests Tigers record 72–6 loss against theSydney Roosters at theSydney Cricket Ground.[57] in the2022 NRL season as the club finished bottom of the table and claimed theWooden Spoon for the first time.[58]
Tamou signed a one-year deal to return to theNorth Queensland Cowboys for the2023 NRL season, playing his first game off the bench in the side's round 1 win over theCanberra Raiders. Tamou's next appearance came in North Queensland's round 4 win over theGold Coast Titans, where he scored a try but sustained a lisfranc injury and was sidelined for 21 weeks.On 17 August, Tamou announced he had played his final game for the North Queensland club and would retire effective immediately.[59][60]
Tamou later signed with theTownsville Blackhawks for the 2024Queensland Cup Season.
| † | Denotes seasons in which Tamou won aNRL Premiership. |
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 |  North Queensland Cowboys | 12 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 |
| 2010 | 19 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 | |
| 2011 | 23 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2012 | 24 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2013 | 22 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 21 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 | |
| 2015† | 24 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2016 | 25 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2017 |  Penrith Panthers | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
| 2018 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 2019 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | ||
| 2020 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2021 |  Wests Tigers | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2022 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 2023 | North Queensland Cowboys | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Career totals | 307 | 27 | 0 | — | 0 | 108 | |
| † | Denotes seasons in which Tamou won aState of Origin Series |
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | New South Wales | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | New South Wales | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2014† | New South Wales | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | New South Wales | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | New South Wales | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career totals | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Australia | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 |
| 2013 | Australia | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 |
| 2014 | Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career totals | 12 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
Tamou and his wife, Brittney Tamou, have four sons.[62]
Tamou is the cousin ofHuddersfield Giants playerKenny Edwards.[63]