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North Queensland Cowboys half Tom Dearden has re-signed with the club on a long-term deal, staving off interest from rival clubs.
Dearden’s five-year contract extension will run until the end of the 2029 season, when he’ll be 28.
Reports suggested the Dragons were the club that showed the most interest in the 22-year-old but after joining the Cowboys in 2021, Dearden has stayed loyal.
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Dearden joined the Cowboys from the Brisbane Broncos, and has partnered Chad Townsend in the halves for the past two seasons.
Prior to signing with the club for the 2021 season, Dearden had been in the Cowboys Academy system when growing up in Mackay before relocating to the Gold Coast in 2017.
“This is a great day for our club, locking in one of the most talented young playmakers in rugby league to remain in a Cowboys jersey until the end of the decade,” Cowboys general manager of football, Michael Luck, said.
“Today’s announcement finalises what we believe is a solid foundation for our club to build around with Tom, Scott Drinkwater and Reece Robson all locked into long-term deals.
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“We were always confident Tom wanted to remain part of our club because he has thrived in our environment. His improvement as a player has been considerable since he first arrived in 2021 and we believe he’s only scratched the surface.
“We are thrilled to extend Tom’s contract to the end of 2029 and look forward to the success we believe is in front of us with Tom playing an integral role.”
Dearden made his Origin debut for Queensland in 2022, replacing Cameron Munster and playing a significant role in a game three series deciding victory.
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