Wests Tigers captain James Tamou fears his NRL career may be over, after being sent off for verbally abusing referee Ben Cummins.
In the dying stages of the Tigers' record-breaking 72-6 defeat to Sydney Roosters, Tamou took exception to a knock-on ruling and was penalised for throwing the ball away in frustration.
NZ-born Tamou unleashed on Cummins and quickly had his sinbinning upgraded to a send-off, when he told the veteran referee he was "f**king incompetent" on his way off the field.
"I apologise for my actions towards Ben Cummins," Tamou said, after voluntarily fronting at the post-match press conference.
"[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."
The 33-year-old will be off contract at the end of this season. He hopes to extend his deal a year with the Tigers, but admits the reality of being forced into retirement in such a manner would be a devastating blow, after a decorated 300-game plus career.
Earlier this season, Kiwis hooker Brandon Smith was handed a four-game ban for calling referee Adam Gee a "cheating b***ard".
"I didn't think of that, until someone just mentioned it," aid Tamou. "My heart dropped.
"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."
The Tigers are now anchored at the bottom of the NRL ladder and need at least one win from their final two games to avoid the wooden spoon.
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