A remorseful James Tamou is facing a ban that could end his NRL career following his expletive-laden abuse of referee Ben Cummins.
The Wests Tigers veteran admitted he let his frustrations get the better of him when sin-binned by Cummins late in his team's record-breaking 72-6 loss to the Sydney Roosters on Saturday night.
The 304-gamer's worst fears were realised on Sunday morning when he was handed a grade-three contrary conduct charge for the incident.
It means he will miss two matches even with an early guilty plea, and will only play again this year if he successfully contests the charge.
Off contract at the end of the season, the former NSW and State of Origin prop is keen to play on but is yet to be offered another contract at age 33.
Tamou admitted on Saturday night his "heart dropped" when he realised the incident had the potential to end his career.
Initially sin-binned for dissent in the 79th minute, Tamou was then sent off when he called Cummins "f****** incompetent" as he left the field.
Usually calm and collected, the veteran's brain snap was indicative of a frustrating night for the last-placed 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 said.
"(The referees) do a terrific job. The frustration got the better of me.
"I'll wear the criticism all week. I've got to be accountable for my actions ... 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."
While he is in negotiations to extend his career by at least another year, Tamou said the possibility of retiring in such inauspicious circumstance 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."
A Tamou ban would add more pain to the Tigers' end to the season, with the club on track for their first wooden spoon as a joint-venture.
