NRL 2020: Penrith Panthers captain James Tamou announces his retirement in...

From considering retiring when he wondered if he was a spent force, to leading his team to the grand finale.

James Tamou has been pondering a notable two-year turnaround as he prepares to command Penrith in Sunday’s decision against the storm.

He’s chasing a second title after saluting the Cowboys in 2015.

The veteran, who will turn 32 in December, is desperately hoping his final appearance as a Panther will drive a winning lap at the ANZ Stadium before signing a two-year deal with the Wests Tigers.

It would be a magical moment if Tamou, whose average running meters this season is his best in seven years, struggled with self-doubt in 2018 and wondered if he should call it a day.

“I think that was when I started thinking, ‘Wow, am I done? Am I over the hill? ‘”Tamou told NRL.com the day after beating South Sydney.

“I thought, ‘Is that it? Will I hang up the boots? ‘

“But towards Ivan [Cleary] When I came along, there was a new preseason and I thought, “No, wait – I’m not done here yet. I want to give myself the best opportunity to make sure I want to go out on my own terms. “So I just had to change my mentality about myself and change my game.

“But there were periods with Penrith in those years when I thought, ‘Wow, I could be done here.’

“To be in this position and to lead the team in the grand finale, I can’t say too much about my form. These guys were just unreal. I’ve just done my job, really. ”

Cleary appointed Tamou as captain last year, regaining the form that once made him a mainstay of NSW and Australia.

But he was nearly ousted from Penrith ahead of the 2019 season, preparing his family to move elsewhere, possibly overseas.

Instead, Trent Merrin packed his bags for England.

“I think it was me and him,” said Tamou. “I think I picked up [on that] all year round [in 2018].

“We both… and talked to Gus [Gould] When Gus was there I had a few words with him. Mez was obviously talking to him too, so we knew we were around.

“When I rolled into the preseason I got a call from Mez who said he had the tap on his shoulder.

“It wasn’t a relief because he’s one of my good friends and it’s sad that it happened, but that was one thing on my head – as if the same thing could happen.

“I thought I had to say to the woman, ‘Get ready here, we might have to pack and move on.’ It was that close in my opinion. ”

Since Steve Price was with Canterbury in 2004, an NRL skipper has not been part of a campaign that won the Premier League before leaving the next season.

Price, who later moved to the Warriors, did not play in this year’s decision due to injury, but won the Provan-Summons Trophy alongside Andrew Ryan.

“It’s pretty unique now that you think about it,” said Tamou.

“You see, I haven’t spoken too much to the Tigers – the team I’m going to next year – and they probably want to leave me with the team.

“I haven’t thought about it too much, but it’s a unique position. But we will hopefully put one foot in front of the other first, raise the trophy first and then think about the rest. ”

Tamou wasn’t sure how he would react if the panthers were to become prime minister.

“I don’t want to add too much more emotion,” he said.

“I think one of the biggest things – moving here to Penrith and learning about the team and being the captain and knowing what the team means to the community is something I will miss.

“And obviously the playgroup will be a massive one.

“Hopefully after the game we can have a few beer parties and a few beers and tears.

“Even after the game in the south, I saw a poster of the storm and the panthers and thought, ‘Oh, wow, we’re in the grand finale,’ you know. So it was one of those things that wasn’t quite right. Go ahead.”