Wife knows best: Tamou leaves Tigers call in safe hands

James Tamou accepts his time at Penrith is likely coming to an end but has left his playing future in the hands of his wife Brittney as he focuses on winning a premiership.

Tamou, 31, has been heavily linked to a switch to the Wests Tigers in 2021 after the former NSW and Australian representative was told by Ivan Cleary it's unlikely the club will have salary cap space for next season.

The Panthers captain and his family, which includes four young children, reside in Glenmore Park and a deal with the Wests Tigers would ensure they could remain in Sydney's west.

NRL.com understands an announcement on the securing of Tamou could be made by the joint venture as early as this week.

"I have told [my wife and manager] that in the conditions we're in I am happy to get one or two more years, whatever it may be," Tamou said.

"There are some other boys struggling a bit, so I'm just pretty fortunate there are teams interested.

"I want to leave everything out of it and concentrate here, but you do want your future sorted.

"That's why I leave it to my wife, she will tell me little bits and pieces. She knows what's right for our kids and where we want to be.

"You want to get it sorted and have your future sorted, but it's a weird one where I want to put the boys and team first.

"It's getting serious here. It's a young group too who sort of don't understand the seriousness of finals so I need to concentrate on that."

I leave it to my wife ... She knows what's right for our kids

Panthers prop James Tamou

Tamou is so determined to lead the side through the playoffs without distraction he told Michael Maguire just that when the Wests Tigers coach introduced himself following their round 16 clash last month.

"I bumped into him here after the game and it was sort of like 'it's nice to meet you'," Tamou said.

"He just wanted to introduce himself and say hello. I said that you've got a good young crop of boys here.

"And we started talking about it and I said I would rather leave it to my manager and let my wife and I discuss it as we get on. He was respectful of that, but we were good for the minute or two we were talking.

"I am happy with where it is at the moment and fortunate we will get something done soon."

Tamou is one win from joining Greg Alexander and Craig Gower as the club's third captain to lead the Panthers to the minor premiership.

All this after enduring a difficult 2019 campaign which doubled as Tamou's first in charge.

Tamou's captaincy had been heavily questioned in the past after Cleary appointed him as their leader.

The Panthers finished 10th in 2019 but have dramatically turned things around.

"Last year has a lot to do with this year … a lot of living and learning, a lot of learning from mistakes and learning from a lot of things that happened last year," Tamou said.

"Last year was weird, it's one of those things you wish you could take back but you don't. It's put us where we are today, and especially myself as captain."