Premiership-winning prop James Tamou has announced his retirement from rugby league.
The 34-year-old has struggled with injury this season, playing just two games for the North Queensland Cowboys.
His decision now brings an impressive 14-year career in the NRL to a close.
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James Tamou retires from rugby league, effective immediately
Tamou has called time on his NRL career, sharing the news at halftime during the Cowboys' Thursday night match against the Cronulla Sharks in Townsville.
"I’ve just announced it to the world, but internally I sort of knew," Tamou told Wide World of Sports.
"I couldn’t have asked for more. I’ve been around the world and I was very lucky and fortunate to come up here [to North Queensland] one last time.
"Unfortunately, you have to listen to the body."
The forward played 307 first grade games following his debut with North Queensland in 2009.
He spent the majority of his career with the Cowboys, remaining with the club for seven seasons and notably being a part of their 2015 Grand Final-winning side.
Tamou then headed to the Penrith Panthers where he captained them to the 2020 decider before a two-year stint with the Wests Tigers.
He was able to round out his career with a return to the Cowboys this season but has been sidelined for the majority of the campaign due a Lisfranc injury.
On the representative stage, Tamou has competed for both Australia and New Zealand, while also making 14 appearances for the New South Wales Blues at Origin level.
James Tamou NRL career stats
| Appearances | 307 |
| Tries | 27 |
| Tackles made | 7,869 |
| Run metres | 36,288 |
