NRL 2022 judiciary news: James Tamou to fight ban, Raiders’ Josh Papalii boost, Dragons’ triple blow
Wests Tigers captain James Tamou will roll the dice at the judiciary in a bid to play one final game in the NRL.
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Wests Tigers captain James Tamou will roll the dice at the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night in a bid to play again this season after he was sent off in the final minute of Saturday’s record breaking loss to the Roosters.
The usually cool and composed captain was originally sin binned for dissent but referee Ben Cummins upgraded that to a send off after Tamou called him “f---ing incompetent”.
It capped a horror night for the Tigers who were belted 72-6 and look set to claim the club’s first wooden spoon.
Tamou was charged with grade three contrary conduct for his foul-mouthed tirade and was looking at two weeks on the sidelines, which would have meant his season was over.
The veteran, who doesn’t have a deal for next year, will plead guilty to the charge but is seeking a downgrade in a bid to play again this season.
He has received support from Bulldogs general manager of football, Phil Gould, who says Tamou’s clean record should be taken into account.
“I apologise for my actions towards Ben Cummins,” Tamou said after Saturday’s game.
“They (the referees) do a terrific job.
“It wasn’t directed at him. The frustration got the better of me and the emotions got the better of me.
“I’ll wear any criticism. I’ll be accountable for my actions. The actions aren’t acceptable towards the jersey, the club and the players.
“I probably took the easy way out instead of shaking their hands and looking them in the eye. I’ve got to wear that all week.
“I’ve got four kids at home and that’s how they’re going to see how their dad acted. I’ve let everyone down. I’ve let myself down. I’m embarrassed and I’ve let a lot of people down.
Meanwhile, Canberra’s hopes of sneaking into the finals have received a major boost, with Josh Papalii not charged for a shoulder charge in the dying minutes of Sunday’s comeback win over the Knights.
The representative front-rower was placed on report in the final two minutes for the shot on Knights rookie Krystian Mapapalangi but escaped sanction from the match review committee, which means he’s free to play this weekend.
It’s a huge sigh of relief for the Green Machine who must win their remaining two games to have any chance of scraping into the top eight.
The news wasn’t so good for the Dragons, with three players charged out of their big win over the Titans.
Francis Molo is facing a lengthy ban after he was sent off for an ugly high shot on Patrick Herbert.
This is his third charge of the season and he’s looking at a 4-5 week ban for his grade 3 careless high tackle that knocked Herbert out of the game.
Teammate Moses Mbye may have also played his last game of 2022 after he was hit with a grade 2 careless high tackle charge in the first minute of the game that went unpunished on the field.
Phillip Sami was clearly affected by the tackle and did not return, which caused major disruptions to the Titans’ backline.
Mbye came off with a hamstring injury, so he may not have played again this season anyway, while teammate Josh McGuire is free to play and can accept a $1000 fine for a dangerous contact charge in the first minute of Sunday’s match.
Tamou pays huge price for referee tirade
Wests Tigers captain James Tamou’s season and possibly his NRL career are over after he was hit with a two-game ban for his spray at referee Ben Cummins.
The veteran lost his cool in the club’s embarrassing 72-6 loss to the Sydney Roosters on Saturday night in what could be the off-contract prop’s final NRL game.
Tamou was given a contrary conduct charge and faces a two-match suspension with an early plea and three games if he fights and loses at the judiciary.
Tamou was originally sin binned for dissent after objecting to a ruck penalty but was then sent off for saying “f---ing incompetent you are” to Cummins.
“I apologise for my actions towards Ben Cummins,” Tamou said. “They (the referees) do a terrific job.
“It wasn’t directed at him. The frustration got the better of me and the emotions got the better of me. I’ll wear any criticism. I’ll be accountable for my actions. The actions aren’t acceptable towards the jersey, the club and the players.”
There was better news for the Roosters’ Victor Radley who escaped with a fine for his cannonball tackle charge.
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Tamou’s grovelling apology after send off
A distraught James Tamou has apologised after he was sent off for verbally abusing referee Ben Cummins as the Wests Tigers suffered the worst loss in the club’s history on Saturday night.
The Tigers were obliterated 72-6 in the last game at the SCG, with the loss soured in the dying moments when their skipper was originally sin binned for dissent and then sent off for saying “f---ing incompetent you are” to the referee.
Most players would have sulked in the sheds after a moment like that, but the experienced leader fronted the press conference, owned his moment of madness and says he’ll cop whatever punishment comes his way.
“I apologise for my actions towards Ben Cummins,” Tamou said. “They (the referees) do a terrific job.
“It wasn’t directed at him. The frustration got the better of me and the emotions got the better of me. I’ll wear any criticism. I’ll be accountable for my actions. The actions aren’t acceptable towards the jersey, the club and the players.
“I probably took the easy way out instead of shaking their hands and looking them in the eye. I’ve got to wear that all week.
“I’ve got four kids at home and that’s how they’re going to see how their dad acted. I’ve let everyone down. I’ve let myself down. I’m embarrassed and I’ve let a lot of people down.
“Instead of looking at ourselves in the mirror and being accountable, I took it out on the wrong people. That’s taking the easy way out. I’m shattered and it’ll go on.”
Tamou didn’t apologise to Cummins immediately because he wanted to take a breath to calm down after an incredibly frustrating performance that moved the Tigers one step closer to the club’s first wooden spoon.
The 2015 premiership winner is likely to be referred straight to the NRL judiciary just weeks after Storm forward Brandon Smith was banned for three matches for abusing a referee.
“I actually didn’t think of that until someone mentioned it,” the Tigers skipper said.
“My heart did drop. I’ve got to be accountable for my actions. It’d be a tough way to go from a game that’s given me a lot. It’s something I’ll have to deal with.”
Tamou was visibly distressed in the media conference but earned praise from his coach for manning up.
“It’s extremely tough because you care for your players,” Brett Kimmorley said.
“Jimmy was the first one to put his hand up and say he wanted to do the press conference to front up and be accountable. That’s more the stature of the man, more than the 300 games [he’s played]. He’s done really well to be strong enough to do it.”
Former Tigers fullback James Tedesco is now carving it up at the Roosters and he said he felt for his opposition captain on a brutal night for the club.
“As a captain, I think a lot of them were pretty frustrated with the scoreline and how they were playing,” Tedesco said. “I think it was just a build-up of frustration over the year for Jimmy. He’s a passionate player.”
A two-game ban would end Tamou’s season, and given he’s off-contract, it could also mean his career in the NRL will also come to an end.
It would be horrible for one of rugby league’s cleanest players to bow out like that, but the 33-year-old is looking to go around again next year if a club wants to offer him a deal.
“I love this game,” he said. “I give everything to this game, and however many games you’ve played, it’s one of those games where you can’t walk around thinking that you’ve done it all because you’ll get left behind.
“You’ve always got to be a student of the game, and I feel like I keep on learning.
“It’d be great to go around again, but I’m also a bit of a pessimist. If that time comes where I’ve got to hang up the boots, I’ll be a realist and go out and find a job.”
Loan star open to Tigers release
On-loan Wests Tigers centre Oilver Gildart has only had a glimpse at how the other half live but it’s enough for him to know he wants to stay at Sydney Roosters.
Touted as a key signing for the battling Tigers, Gildart only now feels like his NRL career has started and he is open to an early release to make Bondi his home next season.
The Tigers are under fire for Saturday’s 72-6 loss to the Roosters. And now three players who started the season as Tigers – Gildart (Roosters), Luciano Leilua (Cowboys) and David Nofoaluma (Storm) – are preparing to play in the finals for rival clubs. While Nofoaluma says he “fell in love’’ with rugby league after his loan move to the Storm and Leilua believes he was “flicked’’ because of his relationship with ex-coach Michael Maguire, Gildart’s comments about his move should worry Tigers fans.
“One million per cent, I absolutely love it out here,” Gildart told The Daily Telegraph when asked about switching to the Tricolours next year.
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“The standard is really high here and it’s only going to develop me as a player and I feel like I’m settling in a little bit.
“I’m still contracted to the Tigers for next season but I’m not sure how things will work out.
“I have made some great bonds there and it’s hard to not want to go back and give everything with those lads as well and I want to see them succeed.”
Maguire plucked Gildart from Super League club Wigan but the centre’s fall coincided with that of his former coach.
Gildart was languishing in the NSW Cup and felt like the Tigers coaching staff had left him “in the lurch”.
“I was starting week in week out when Madge was there and then I strained my calf before Magic Round and had a few weeks out and by the time I came back Madge was sacked,” Gildart said.
“I didn’t get a look in after that, which was disappointing for me personally.
“There were no real conversations had, I was kind of left in the lurch and didn’t know what was going on. So it was ideal to come out here and get a fresh start here.”
Even new teammate Joey Manu, who has played against Gildart at international level and in a World Club Challenge, was surprised the Englishman was shunted to reserve grade.
“I am surprised actually,” Manu said.
“I have played against him in England, I know how good he is, his attacking ability and we saw that on Saturday with his silky hands. He’s sharp on his feet, can move, he’s quick and always in video trying to get better.”
Gildart has gone from the Tigers, who are likely to claim the wooden spoon, to a club that is contending for the title, and the differences on and off the field have been eye-opening.
“I think since I’ve come to the Roosters, I feel like I’ve arrived in an NRL side now. I feel like my journey started since I got here,” Gildart said fresh off helping the Roosters demolish the Tigers 72-6 on Saturday night.
“There are some great lads at the Tigers, don’t get me wrong, but there are more senior players and more leaders at the Roosters. I’ve been listening to what they’ve been saying and I feel like that’s really improving me as a player.
“I wanted to see what it’s like to compete week in, week out with a team at the top of the NRL.
“I’ve learnt what it takes in terms of training and the intensity and all the small details. I’ve only been here a short time but I feel like I’ve learnt a lot. I can’t really ask for much more.”
The 26-year-old received his Roosters jersey from coach Trent Robinson just days after he demanded selection with five tries for the Bears.
The Test representative is still coming to terms with the move which few saw coming but is grateful for Robinson’s intimate knowledge of the Super League, where the premiership winning coach spent time at the Catalans Dragons.
“It’s a big confidence boost to be noticed by Robbo. I think it helped that he coached in the Super League, so I think he has seen more of my game than most NRL coaches and he was willing to give me that chance and I’ll be forever grateful for that,” Gildart said.
Howzat! Roosters put cricket score on woeful Tigers
The Roosters have farewelled their four years at the SCG with an absolute cricket score as they routed the woeful Wests Tigers 72-6 on a hellish night as skipper James Tamou was sent off late for a foul-mouthed tirade directed towards referee Ben Cummins.
Tamou was in a foul mood after conceding a penalty while in possession at the other end of the field. He was then sent to the sin bin for a deliberate ruck infringement but was then sent off after he turned to the ref and said “f---ing incompetent you are.”
The foul-mouthed attack will likely see him rubbed out for the rest of the year and it compounds a horror night for the Tigers who were utterly disgraceful.
The shellacking continued a weekend of blowouts that highlights the gulf in class between the top teams and the battlers who have clocked off with a few weeks to go.
This was a ruthless performance by the Roosters who have now won six in a row since their bye, scoring 254 points in that streak ahead of next week’s blockbuster against the Storm.
But as good as the Roosters were, the Tigers were simply awful. It was as if the Chooks were running training drills against orange witches hats, but at least the ones at practice put up a fight.
Luke Keary had a field day on the left with three line break assists and a couple of try assists in a blistering first 40 minutes as the Roosters raced out to a 30-0 lead, and he added one more after the break before he came off for a well-earned rest.
It would have been fitting had the Tigers posted a duck in the final game at the SCG, but they managed to get on the board with seven minutes to go when Brent Naden scored a long-range intercept try.
TOOTHLESS TIGERS
There have been some shocking team performances in 2022 but this one may have been the worst.
The Tigers were awful in defence, offered nothing in attack and their kicking game was described as “putrid” by Michael Ennis in commentary after an Adam Doueihi clearing kick barely travelled 15 metres.
So much has been made of the Tigers’ lack of success with the joint venture failing to qualify for the finals for 10 years.
It’s been a lean run, but at least the club has never finished with the wooden spoon.
That, however, looks set to end with the Tigers rooted to the bottom of the table with just four wins this season and a long way behind the Titans on points differential.
Even if the Tigers somehow turn things around and win their final two games, they’ll still finish with their worst season on record, falling short of the seven victories they recorded in 2002, 2003, 2013, 2017 and 2020.
To add injury to insult, Luke Garner (HIA), Ken Maumalo (groin) and Alex Seyfarth (shoulder) all failed to finish the game.
“I don’t know whether some players have tapped out because they’re going somewhere else next year or they know that there are different coaches coming next year,” interim Tigers coach Brett Kimmorley said.
BUTCHER CARVES UP SOME ANGUS BEEF
Nat Butcher rarely gets the plaudits he deserves but the hard-working edge forward might even sneak onto same back pages after he crossed for the first hat-trick of his career and then added another for good measure.
The back-rower opened the scoring when he latched onto a Sam Walker grubber, be burst through for his second thanks to a lovely ball from Keary and then completed his treble when he strolled through some feeble defence in the second half.
Butcher wasn’t alone though, with fellow edge forward Angus Crichton running riot with a first half double as he terrorised Doueihi with two tries in four minutes.
Crichton also played the role of provider to set up skipper James Tedesco for a try against his former club a week after he celebrated his 200th game in the NRL.
RADLEY ON REPORT
The only sour note for the Roosters was having lock forward Victor Radley placed on report midway through the first half for a cannonball tackle on Joe Ofahengaue.
The incident was initially missed by Cummins but Radley was eventually put on report a few plays later after the referee cautioned him for being the third man in around the legs.
Radley should have no case to answer but could be hit with a fine when the charges come out.
As bad as it gets: Tigers’ unwanted history
-Paul Crawley
A season that started with such anticipation following Tim Sheens’ return looks set to end in this officially being Wests Tigers’ worst season on record.
Not only are the Tigers staring down the barrel of finishing with the club’s first wooden spoon, but their heavy loss to the Roosters on Saturday night condemned them to unwanted history.
Heading into the match they needed to win all three remaining games against the Roosters, Dragons and Raiders just to equal their previous least amount of wins for a season.
Sitting last on the ladder, the joint venture’s previous lowest finish was 15th which occurred twice (2013, 15). And while they only have four wins so far this season, their previous worst was seven wins which has occurred on four previous occasions (2002, ’03, 13 and 17).
It comes as Tigers legend Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach spoke about his grim fears for club’s future, regardless of the brand new $200 million centre of excellence that was only unveiled this week.
“Everyone has got one,” Roach said in respect to the NRL’s latest centre of excellence.
“I don’t see the big fuss. I mean, it’s great that they have one and it is fantastic for the area.
“But that is not going to attract players.”
Roach also questions if the coaching return of Sheens and Benji Marshall will be enough to turn around the Tigers’ fortunes down the track. Roach reckons the only hope would be if the NRL introduced a draft, which is unlikely to ever happen.
The Tigers have Api Koroisau and Isaiah Papali’I set to join the club next season, but Roach added: “We need a marquee player. You can have those guys (Koroisau and Papali’i) coming in to strengthen up your forward pack, but they need a strike centre for instance.
“They need a genuine superstar. A fullback or a centre who can break tackles and score points. There was talk Benji would go and talk to Tedesco. As if Tedesco would come back.
“Why would he? You can pay them overs but they are still not going to come.
“Don’t get me wrong, I want to see them do well. They are my team. But you are asking me to be honest. I just can’t see how they can turn it around.
“I can’t see a quick fix.”
Asked to sum up this season, he couldn’t hide his disappointment: “They are last. You can’t really talk them up if they are last. I would just be bullshitting. I have just got to tell the truth.”
Before Saturday night, the TAB had the Tigers $1.40 favourites to finish with the wooden spoon following Gold Coast’s shock win over Manly last weekend.
The two teams are on equal competition points (10) but the Tigers have a worse differential (-213 to -196). The Titans also have the easier draw with remaining games against the Dragons, Knights and Warriors.
“TAB has taken multiple $2000 and $1000 outlays on both the Tigers at $1.40 and the Titans at $3 but the Tigers have been the best backed for most losses all season with around 28 per cent of the money,” TAB spokesman Rohan Welsh said.
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Originally published as NRL 2022 judiciary news: James Tamou to fight ban, Raiders’ Josh Papalii boost, Dragons’ triple blow
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