Fatherhood puts James Tamou on straight and narrow after brush with the law

LONG before James Tamou parted ways with his Ned Kelly-style beard on Wednesday, the Cowboys enforcer felt cleansed.

James Tamou talks about his new son Brooklyn and the lessons he learned from his drink dr

LONG before James Tamou parted ways with his Ned Kelly-style beard on Wednesday, the Cowboys enforcer felt cleansed.

Not so long ago Tamou seemed to be as vilified as Australia’s most famous bushranger. Locked away in a holding cell at a Townsville police station after being charged with drink-driving, Tamou’s NRL career flashed before his eyes.

Then there was his partner Brittney McGlone, heavily pregnant and just weeks away from giving birth to their first child.

In that moment, Tamou did a deal with himself. He would never allow his newborn son Brooklyn Knox, now six months old, to one day witness his father in such a state of despair.

“The thought of letting down my son really scares me,” said Tamou, who celebrated the birth of his boy in August, six weeks after his brush with the law cost him a NSW Origin jumper.

“What I’ve been through, I never want to go through ever again.

“Having a little family now, I don’t want to lose them.

“I remember sitting in that jail cell and thinking ‘what the hell are you doing with your life?’

“For a couple of hours they locked me up. I had my hands on my knees, alone and wondering how I got into this place.

James Tamou with his son Brooklyn.

“That was the scariest thought. What happened to me had a silver lining, because while the drink-driving was a stupid error, it made me realise what I have and what I don’t want to become.

“That period last year was a whirlwind for good and bad reasons. More people remember the off-field dramas, but I am keen to put that behind me and stay out of trouble from now on.”

At 194cm and 113kg, Tamou is a man-mountain not easily moved but fatherhood has imposed responsibilities on him.

There was a time when Tamou would arrive at Cowboys training and hear teammates regale the squad with stories of screaming toddlers and sleepless nights.

Tamou, who turned 25 in December, was content to delay parenthood, but Brooklyn’s arrival has altered his perspective on life.

“He has literally stopped me in my tracks,” Tamou said.

“When I saw him take his first breath, I shed a couple of tears. It’s just amazing to go from watching them when they are born to the way they develop even after three months and six months.

James Tamou going for the Gangs of New York look.

“Every time I leave little Brooklyn I can’t wait to get back home from training. When I wake up, I’m straight to his room saying good morning to him.

“I thought of having kids down the track but to have it this early, I never thought of it. I had heard stories of other fathers in the club saying they were up all night and I thought it was the worst thing in the world.

“Now I’m one of the dads and I love it. It is a life changer for the better.’’

Having briefly lost his sky-blue jumper last year, Tamou now has added incentive to cement himself as NSW and Australia’s pre-eminent prop.

“I feel I have a lot more to play for,” he said.

“I’ve set myself the goal to stay injury-free and play some good quality minutes on the field this year.

“I cannot in any way think I’m going to be a shoo-in for rep jumpers. There is always other players coming up. Andrew Fifita (NSW front-row teammate) came up from an average player but now he’s the top of the front-rowers.

“There is always that feeling of having to play consistent footy or you will be overlooked for someone going better than you.

“I’m determined not to be overlooked this year.’’