Pain away: James Tamou in Coffs Harbour on Tuesday. Credit:Janie Barrett "What it was, was an infection just below the left [buttock] cheek and top of the hammy. It hurt so bad. The doctor cut it out and put me on antibiotics and I after that I started to feel ill. The bags were packed, ready to go and then I started to feel ill. "I called the doctor and he admitted me to hospital and I spent the night there on a drip. I had heard of stories of players being in hospital for a while because of staph infections. It's no laughing matter, that really stops you in your tracks, so I was a bit worried about that. But after I started to feel a bit better overnight, I knew I was right and wanted to come straight down." Tamou missed the Blues' bonding session on a private boat in Sydney Harbour on Monday, arriving into camp later that night before they boarded a plane for their camp base in Coffs Harbour on Tuesday. The premiership-winning prop, who is expected to train with the squad on Wednesday unhampered by the infection, is no stranger to pain, but he insists the discomfort of the infection was like nothing he'd experienced.

"The pain was unbearable. I haven't had that sort of pain before. It was a different pain to the neck, more of a sharper pain. I couldn't walk properly. Sitting down, I had to lean on one side. Those basics things. "On Sunday when I was starting to feel really sick, the doctor said you're going to have to go into hospital. I told him that I'm going to have to call Laurie. He said 'I'll call him for you'. Laurie was great, he said whatever gets him right for this game make sure he's 100 per cent to come down." Tamou, who last week was close to agreeing to terms to join the Panthers, has decided to put off contract discussions until after Origin I at ANZ Stadium. The Cowboys seemed resigned to losing the Australian representative but he is now doubting whether he should leave the Cowboys despite the family benefits of moving to Sydney. "We want to weigh everything up so I guess this is where this [suggestions he won't be coming to Penrith] has come from ... me staying in Townsville and not coming to Sydney," Tamou said.