NSW and North Queensland prop James Tamou is facing the prospect of missing State of Origin game two after he was placed on report for a dangerous tackle on Wests Tigers five-eighth Benji Marshall on Sunday.
Tamou has 32 carry over points from a high tackle charge from round five against Canberra and anything worse than a grade two would see him miss Origin two in Sydney on June 13.
About five minutes into the match, Tamou ran through on Marshall and hit the airborne playmaker in the legs after he kicked the ball in the Tigers 26-18 victory over the Cowboys at Campbelltown.
Marshall was fired up and threw a couple of punches at Tamou who stayed on his back.
“I’ve seen worse,” Tamou said of the tackle.
“I think they are trying to stamp that out in the game. I think they might try and set an example on that … we’ll see what happens.”
Tamou said he wasn’t thinking about missing Origin when he made the hit but it struck him soon after.
“It sort of did afterwards when Benji was just sort of over me and I thought I’ll just settle down a bit,” he said.
“I was just in the heat of the moment and just knew I had to put a bit of pressure on him.
“He didn’t say much … I put him in an awkward position and he had a bit of a right to blow up a bit … it stays on the field.”
Marshall and Tamou clashed again later in the match in a different way when about 10 minutes into the second half the Tigers New Zealand international fielded a kick in his own in-goal before weaving through the Cowboys defence.
He hit the halfway line and looked set to score before Tamou ran him down, forcing Marshall to pass to a teammate and the play broke down.
“He thought he was away and he looked back and saw this big man galloping after him. I think I was lucky that he slowed down a bit for me,” Tamou said.
Later in the second half Tamou broke the Tigers line showing amazing speed for a big man as he set off on a 55 metre run only to be cut down just short of the line by Tigers fullback Tim Moltzen.
“I wanted to think here comes a try but I think I sort of ran out of steam there and Moltzen was just too quick for me,” he said.
Lost Earthling
Guest
I'll stay straight up I'm a queenslander so there is no confusion as to what colour my eyes are in a situation like this but, as far as i'm concerned he shouldn't even have been penalised. He didn't hit whatsisnames legs, he hit just above the hips (though his hand seem to end up hitting the short and curlies). The problem was whatsisname got up and started punching, screaming and kicking (literally!) and so the refs followed their number one rule, if whatsisname blows up then he should get the penalty. I'm more surprised whatisname didn't get a week for bringing the game into disrepute by showing young kids it's okay to take the law into your own hands on the field by retaliating and kicking and punching a player on the ground who has no intention of starting a fight.
WQ
Guest
I did see the incident, through the single eye I that I look through that only sees Maroon!
eagleJack
Guest
WQ,you obviously didn't see the incident. Or the reception in your bunker is not very good. Say hi to Mal for me.
WQ
Guest
If I was Mal Meninga I would demand that none of the QLD'ers play again before the 2nd Origin. I can just see one or two of them being suspended for sneezing!
WQ
Guest
Just as I predicted - Judiciary decides there is no case to answer????? They would have taken 2 seconds to consider this and it would have gone like this, can we stand putting up with Ricky Stuart and the tantrum he will throw if we suspend him? Answer was obviously no!
soapit
Guest
whats the bet most comments on this are from qld conspiracy theorists
eagleJack
Guest
Good to see that things are returning to normal After our 5 day whinge about some terrible refereeing we are over it. But QLD will continue with their decade (maybe more?) long whinge about a perceived bias at the judiciary. We are novices in the whinging department compared to our friends up north. Tamou will not miss Origin because there was absolutely nothing in it. Looking at the incident objectively will show you that. Grade 1 at the absolute worst which will see him miss next w/end's game againt the Titans.
Davo
Guest
Would be a disgrace if he got a ban. Steve Price was diving at players legs for years and got away with it, putting it down to been a 'true QLD hard man'. Would be a disgrace if he was banned, regardless of if he was a maroon or a blue.
Gareth
Guest
This one is difficult to call. If he was a New South Welshman, he'd get a slap on the wrist and be ready for Origin 2. Not sure if the same rules apply for New South Zealanders. There will probably be some pretty confused looks at the judiciary when he explains that he "uccidintully hut Binji, their number sux and made hum go arse over tut".
Maximus
Guest
As if the NRL will let NSW be without their Kiwi import forward...sheesh
WQ
Guest
With all the media frenzy that has been cooked up by Ricky Stuart and his cronies about how unfair Origin has become for NSW, whats a bet that Tamou gets away with this one!