Queensland half Tom Dearden gets Wally ‘The King’ Lewis’ stamp of approval

Cowboys half Tom Dearden faces the biggest test of his career when the rookie Queensland five-eighth fills the void of injured champion Cameron Munster. But he has the support of Queensland heavyweights behind him.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 28: Tom Dearden during a Queensland Maroons State of Origin Training Session at Brisbane Broncos on May 28, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

NRL Immortal Wally Lewis has given Tom Dearden ‘The King’s’ seal of approval as another legendary Queensland playmaker, Darren Lockyer, backed the Cowboys pivot to fire in Origin I.

Dearden faces the biggest test of his career when the rookie Queensland five-eighth fills the void of injured champion Cameron Munster in Origin I this Wednesday night at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

It will be just Dearden’s second game for Queensland – and first outing at NSW’s Homebush cauldron where Queensland have won just 10 of 31 Origin clashes in 25 years.

There were fears North Queensland’s patchy NRL form could have selection ramifications for Dearden in the face of competition from the Broncos’ grand-final hat-trick hero Ezra Mam.

Maroons coach Billy Slater ultimately opted for Dearden over Mam at five-eighth and Lewis – The King of State of Origin – endorsed the 23-year-old to step out of Munster’s shadow and draw first blood for Queensland.

Tom Dearden is a reliable choice for Qld coach Billy Slater. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“We’ve seen before that he can do it,” Lewis told Channel 9’s Origin podcast.

“His previous performances (for Queensland and the Cowboys) have thrilled people, myself included.

“I think he provides some wonderful opportunities for those around him.

“He is a gutsy young bloke, he never holds back too much at all and when you go into Origin battle, you love having blokes like him beside you.

“You know you can count on Tom 24-7.”

Dearden is no stranger to stepping up in the Origin furnace.

Two years ago, Munster was a late scratching for the 2022 decider due to Covid and Dearden produced the game of his life on debut to lead the Maroons to Origin glory with an epic 22-12 victory at Suncorp Stadium.

But Dearden will face a far more hostile crowd when he runs out before 80,000 pro-Blues fans at Accor Stadium as Queensland begin their run towards a hat-trick of Origin titles.

Lockyer was part of the Queensland selection panel that agreed to hand the No. 6 jumper to Dearden and the former Maroons skipper, now a Channel 9 expert analyst, explained why Mam was overlooked.

Darren Lockyer says Ezra Mam’s time will come for the Maroons. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

“It was very difficult,” Lockyer said.

“Both players (Dearden and Mam) have been playing really well.

“When you look at Origin-standard players, they need that effort and character in their game.

“No one epitomises that more than Tom Dearden.

“The X-factor of Ezra Mam (had appeal) but he is in the system, he is working his way up the system and he is now in the Queensland top 20.

“Ezra’s time will come but he will learn a hell of a lot just being around this group for the week.”

Dearden’s NRL career appeared at the crossroads when he was released by the Broncos in 2021. But he was thrown a mid-season lifeline by the Cowboys and has flourished in the tropics, ascending to the co-captaincy with fellow Maroons star Reuben Cotter this season.

“It (the Cowboys co-captaincy) definitely helped me find more of a voice and be more confident with speaking up and giving my opinions,” Dearden said.

“The greatest thing about being captain with ‘Rubes’ at the Cowboys is that we both lead with our actions and that’s what we spoke about – how we wanted to be leaders at the Cowboys.

“I know we can bring those same actions and habits to the Queensland side.”