For all the fines and suspensions, NSW Origin prop James Tamou says being forced to watch Origin II from his lounge was the toughest punishment to take.
Tamou was back in the Blues camp on Monday determined to make amends for letting down his teammates following his game-two suspension after being charged with high-range drink driving.
It left him out of pocket to the tune of more than $50,000, and he was suspended from driving for 15 months.
But there was plenty of pain and regret caused by watching the Blues being pulverised in the opening exchanges of Origin II, when Tamou would have been right there in the thick of the action.
“Of the whole incident, getting pulled over, the fines, court – the hardest thing to do was watch that Origin,” Tamou told AAP.
“To know my teammates were out there and I couldn’t be there for them was tough.
“I watched it with mates, they were jumping around getting into it.
“I sat there in silence the whole time watching the game, just regret and everything running through my head, it was definitely hard to watch.”
And it’s that pain that Tamou will take into next week’s series decider, after he was recalled to the starting side with Aaron Woods demoted to being on stand-by for skipper Paul Gallen.
“I know I’ve come into this camp and I need to make amends after missing Origin II,” Tamou said.
“My motivation levels are very high at the moment.
“You’re mind goes back to Origin II and that’s what fuels it.”