NRL world explodes over 'spineless' Tigers controversy: 'Disgraceful'

The Wests Tigers have been utterly humiliated in a record-breaking 72-6 loss to the Sydney Roosters following James Tamou's bizarre send-off.

Tamou, playing in the final year of his NRL contract, knocked on and conceded a penalty for throwing the ball away in self-admonishment.

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He turned his frustrations on referee Ben Cummins and was sin-binned for dissent in the 79th minute but had his punishment upgraded to a sending-off for calling the referee "f**king incompetent" as he left the field.

Usually calm and collected, the veteran's brain snap was indicative of how frustrating a night it was for the Tigers, who left the SCG having suffered their heftiest defeat in joint-venture history.

"I apologise for my actions towards Ben Cummins," a forlorn Tamou told reporters.

"(The referees) do a terrific job. The frustration got the better of me."

The NRL world was equally stunned at how scenes unfolded during the demolition.

Tigers fans were left stunned at the scoreline, while NRL great Corey Parker claimed coach Brett Kimmorley had little options to turn around the struggling club.

“I’ve given them a bit of a bath to be fair, but him yawning there is what they’ve done — they’ve put him to sleep,” Parker said of the locker room footage.

“There is absolutely nothing ‘Noddy’ can say to the team after a 72-point thrashing that’s going to resonate with any of them, trust me.

“He’s not there next year, he doesn’t have a part in the club, they’ve just had 72 points put on them, every individual cannot look each other in the eye and he’s going to sit there and address them?

“Please, just walk out, let them do their own thing, sometimes less is more — there is not a word he can say. They’ll have individuals stand up and say ‘boys I'm sorry,’ it’s rubbish, it’s absolute rubbish."

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Fans were left equally as stunned at Parker after the rout.

Viewers labelled the Wests Tigers team as spineless as the club heads for another likely wooden spoon.

Tamou is set to face suspension and could be referred directly to the NRL judiciary on Sunday morning without having the option of entering a plea.

Melbourne hooker Brandon Smith was referred for calling referee Adam Gee a "cheating bastard" in July, and keen on deterring players from committing similar offences, the judiciary banned him for four weeks.

A two-week ban would rub Tamou out for the remainder of the season but the 300-game prop forward said he would accept any punishment handed down.

"I'll wear the criticism all week. I've got to be accountable for my actions," he said.

"I've let everyone down. I've let myself down. I'm embarrassed.

"I've got four kids at home and that's how they're going to see that their dad acts."

Tamou's contract runs out at the end of the year and he will be 34 by the time the 2023 season begins.

While he is in negotiations to extend his career by at least another year, Tamou said the possibility of his retiring on such inauspicious terms was difficult to swallow.

"I didn't think of that until someone just mentioned it. My heart dropped," he said.

"It would be a tough way to go out of a game that has given me a lot.

"It'd be great to go around again but I'm also a bit of a pessimist. If the time comes to hang up the boots, I'll be a realist and go out and find a job."

Post-match press conferences are not mandatory for NRL captains but Tigers interim coach Brett Kimmorley applauded Tamou for choosing to front the media.

"Jimmy was the first one to put his hand up and say, 'I want to come and do the press conference' and make himself accountable," he said.

"That's says more about the stature of the man than 300 games."

with AAP

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