Cowboys prop James Tamou’s shock at Kangaroos recall

JAMES Tamou almost broke down in tears when his Australian Test career was resurrected on Sunday just five months after he faced an uncertain playing future.

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 25: James Tamou of the Cowboys runs the ball during the round eight NRL match between the Newcastle Knights and the North Queensland Cowboys at Hunter Stadium on April 25, 2015 in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)

JAMES Tamou almost broke down in tears when his Australian Test career was resurrected on Sunday just five months after he faced an uncertain playing future.

The North Queensland front rower was one of the selection shocks when Tim Sheens named his Kangaroos Test team to play New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, the Cowboys star only just finding his feet after a serious neck injury.

It was in early December that Tamou opted for neck surgery to shave some bone off his vertebrae to help ease a worrying nerve problem that left his arm in constant pain with every contact on the rugby league field.

One surgical option had Tamou facing nine months out of football, but the shaving scenario and strict rehab somehow meant he was ready for round one.

But even though he stunned all at the club to be ready for round one, it took time to recapture his best form as you would expect when you’re confronting an injury of such serious magnitude.

“It really is a shock, when I got told I was just about in tears just because of what I’ve gone through,” Tamou said last night.

“At the start of the year I was really struggling there just to find a bit of form. I’m shocked and very fortunate.

“About two weeks before round one I was like ‘no way (can I play) there is still pain there. I couldn’t lift weights, my left arm was the weak one.

“But within that two weeks there was just a sudden transformation, my strength was coming back and I was feeling good.”

James Tamou celebrates beating the Kiwis in Sydney with son Brooklyn.

Rewind to the week leading into Christmas and Tamou was at his lowest. He couldn’t turn his head. He was stiff. He was thin and friends thought he was genuinely ill.

So desperate to get himself back in shape, Tamou cancelled plans to spend New Years in New Zealand with his partner and concentrated on getting his body right and weight back on.

“Everyone was looking fit and strong and here I was because I hadn’t done anything for about three or four weeks I was 107kg down from 115kg and I was just skinny,” he said.

“People said I looked sick. People said I was just about unrecognisable. Then it was just rehab from then on.

“I cancelled (our trip) because I wanted ti really concentrate on my neck and get right into rehab to be right for when everyone comes back in the new year.”

Even upon return something wasn’t right. He had to eliminate all the noise and fear in his head that made him tentative and playing within himself.

Cowboys coach Paul Green put him back to the bench but against Melbourne the turning point came. North Queensland were chasing points and Tamou returned a drop out with full gusto to get a quick play the ball. Breakthrough.

“I just ran it forward, full pitch and dead straight and got up and played the ball and went ‘whoa, I’m right, I am good to go.’ That made me believe,” he said.

“It was tough, there was so much going through my head. Just the thought of ‘is it really right?’\

“Naturally it took a few games to sort of believe it was all right. I was still a bit shy with it, I wasn’t sort of running hard or tackling hard. It was just one of those things I had to grow into it.

“Even now the pain is always there. After every game, for example the game just gone, this morning I was still a bit stiff and in a bit of pain.

“That is always going to be there but I just have to deal with it.”

Australia: Billy Slater, Alex Johnston, Greg Inglis, Will Chambers, Josh Dugan, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith (capt), Aaron Woods, Greg Bird, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker.

Interchange: Luke Lewis, Trent Merrin, Nate Myles, James Tamou. 18th man: Daly Cherry-Evans

Originally published as Cowboys prop James Tamou’s shock at Kangaroos recall