Broncos reject Tom Dearden in line to be next Queensland Maroons captain

Tom Dearden’s performance in Game 3 of the Origin series has convinced experts he will one day succeed Cameron Munster as Queensland skipper.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten says Tom Dearden will be Queensland’s next captain after his remarkable resurrection from broken Broncos prodigy to Maroons matchwinning hero.

North Queensland co-captain Dearden will back up from his man-of-the-match heroics in the Origin decider in a bid to keep the Cowboys’ final hopes alive in Saturday night’s clash against the Bulldogs in Townsville.

The Cowboys (6-9-1) are languishing in 12th spot, three competition points adrift of eighth-placed Manly, and are hoping to ride Dearden’s wave of momentum to shock title contenders the Bulldogs.

Dearden produced one of the greatest halfback performances in Origin history on Wednesday night, scoring two tries and saving two himself to inspire a 24-12 victory and earn a perfect 10 rating.

The 24-year-old walked away with the Wally Lewis Medal as Origin’s player of the series and Payten says it was a performance that convinced him Dearden will one day succeed Cameron Munster as Queensland skipper.

Tom Dearden had a flawless Game 3. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

“I am very proud of Tom, but not surprised really,” Payten said after confirming Dearden as a certain starter against the Dogs.

“Wednesday’s performance was up there with Wally Lewis and Andrew Johns and that type of calibre.

“He will be there for as long as he is fit and healthy and it’s only a matter of time before he captains the state.

“I know what playing Origin and playing for his state means to him.

“He has gone from strength to strength over the past 18 months, he has become a real leader here and he deserved his chance in rep footy.

“Tom has really grown with the captaincy and I think he will be in the Queensland team for a long time.

“He is so fit and because of his aerobic capacity, he is always competing and he puts himself in positions that other players can’t get to.

“I love his competitive nature. He is always in everything.”

Dearden’s Allan Langer-style performance capped the ultimate metamorphosis for the Toowoomba-born product, who was headed for the NRL scrap heap before being saved by Payten and the Cowboys.

Just four years ago, Dearden was a broken soul at the Broncos. Blooded as an 18-year-old by Anthony Seibold, he won just four of 22 games in Broncos colours and former Brisbane coach Kevin Walters was so unsure if Dearden would make the grade he authorised a mid-season transfer to the Cowboys in 2021.

Dearden arrived in Townsville with his confidence at rock bottom, but Payten was adamant the snowy-haired Mackay Brothers junior could pick up the pieces if he handled him with care.

Xavier Coates, Dearden and Billy Slater post-game. Picture: Queensland Maroons

“His confidence was low for sure when he got here,” Payten said.

“Tom wasn’t very confident in himself, he had copped a pasting publicly, so it was a work in progress.

“For me, it was either put him in reserve grade and let him get his confidence back, or keep him in first grade and just persevere.

“I felt if he went back to reserve grade, it would have just slowed him down long term, so I kept him in the team and he grew with each game.

“We supported him early on but all the rest of it Tom did himself. He did all the hard work. He never kicked stones. He showed a lot of faith and belief in himself and he has come out the other side.”

Dearden showed huge promise in the Broncos Academy and Payten recalled his class as a teenager.

“I had been watching him for quite a while in the junior space,” he said.

“I remember seeing him in the under-16s when I was coaching with the Warriors over in New Zealand.

“He beat us that night in wet conditions and I just remember what a great competitor he was.

“It was my decision to sign him but it wasn’t just me, there were other people who also saw promise in him and I trusted their opinion of him.”

Originally published as Broncos reject Tom Dearden in line to be next Queensland Maroons captain