James Tamou could leave the Cowboys for a Sydney club

THE Cowboys have a major challenge on their hands to keep James Tamou with the star prop considering a move to Sydney.

Rugby League NRL Nth Qld Cowboys v St George at 1300Smiles Stadium, Townsville. James Tamou.

COWBOYS star James Tamou has admitted he is considering moving to Sydney to take care of his rapidly expanding family.

Tamou, poised to become the highest-paid prop in the code, has attracted significant interest from NRL clubs in Sydney where he first lived after leaving New Zealand.

Tamou’s wife Brittney McGlone is pregnant with their third child and at 27, this is the most important contract in the front-rower’s career.

With the salary cap increasing rapidly in the next two years, Tamou will be the first prop to take advantage of the pay rises that will boost every NRL player’s salary.

The Cowboys want to keep Tamou but are yet to make a formal offer, while cashed up clubs like the Roosters and St George Illawarra are circling.

Parramatta made a huge push for Tamou last time he was off-contract but with their salary cap drama are stuck in signing purgatory.

Tamou said that while he would like to stay in Townsville, the reality is he has to look after his family first.

“My wife is pregnant with our third child,” Tamou told The Courier-Mail.

“When she has this one she will have three under three and in that case we have to keep our options open.

“We need to find somewhere we are both happy.

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“I would be very lucky to have another six or seven years in this game. Very lucky.

“I am 27 now and that’s how I am looking at it ... there’s not a lot of time left.”

Tamou almost left the Cowboys last year for Canberra to be closer to his wife’s family but the couple are now very content in Townsville.

Tamou’s manager Sam Ayoub said his client was weeks away from sorting his future.

Ayoub flew to Townsville last month to meet with the Cowboys about Tamou.

North Queensland are intent on keeping the Kangaroos regular but are yet to make a formal offer, although one is expected soon.

Tamou has opened the season in great form for the Cowboys.

“We haven’t done anything yet with anyone,” Ayoub said.

“This is a very important contract for James and his family.

“There is interest from Sydney. There’s been a lot of interest for James.

“We are several weeks away from getting any deal done.”

Tamou said he wasn’t finding the contract negotiations distracting, as his form proves.

Tamou is a near certainty to play for the Kangaroos in next month’s Test, forming an all Cowboys front-row with Matt Scott.

Tamou made 147m and 19 tackles against St George Illawarra on the weekend.

He didn’t miss a tackle and didn’t make an error.

Originally published as James Tamou could leave the Cowboys for a Sydney club