The final nail in the coffin for the Brisbane Broncos was Tom Dearden’s man-of-the-match performance in Sunday’s Pacific Championships final, which confirmed that they made a grave error in letting him go.
And given the circumstances surrounding Ezra Mam, Broncos supporters would find it even more frustrating.
Dearden established himself as a star of the game with a masterclass at five-eighth as the Kangaroos defeated Tonga 20-14 to win the Pacific Championships.
In one of the best outings of his early career, the 23-year-old ran for 146 metres, had three line breaks and assisted on three tries.
He proved why he will be the game’s star for the next ten years by outperforming halfback Mitchell Moses. By doing this, he completely derided the Broncos’ 2021 decision to cut him.
At the age of 18, Dearden made his first-grade debut for the Broncos. However, he had a rocky start to his career and was never able to establish himself in the NRL.
The Broncos gave him permission to walk to the North Queensland Cowboys in 2021, choosing to give players like Tyson Gamble, Anthony Milford, and Brodie Croft priority.
All three of them—Milford, Croft, and Gamble—have since left the Broncos, and his million-dollar contract per season will go down as one of the worst in NRL history.
In addition to being the Cowboys’ captain, Dearden is a Queensland State of Origin standout and an Australian five-eighth who wins games.
NRL supporters criticise the Broncos for their grave error in hiring Tom Dearden.
The Broncos are currently saddled with Adam Reynolds, a 34-year-old halfback, and five-eighth Mam, who will soon be suspended.
Following his involvement in a traffic accident last month that resulted in a four-year-old girl suffering a fractured hip, Mam, 21, faces a lengthy ban.
The Broncos team that starts the 2025 season will not include Mam, who was unlicensed at the time and allegedly failed a roadside drug test.
They are thinking of bringing 34-year-old Ben Hunt back to fill the void left by Mam’s ban, rather than having Dearden be the club’s pillar for the next ten years.
Although it’s great to look back, letting Dearden go will be remembered as one of the Broncos’ worst retention mistakes ever.
Following the masterclass, Mal Meninga was full of admiration for Tom Dearden.
Cowboys captain Dearden might not have contributed much to the Pacific Championships if it weren’t for injuries to Nathan Cleary and Cameron Munster.
However, Mal Meninga is now facing a serious headache as he prepares for the Ashes series against England next year after his man-of-the-match performance against Tonga.
Coach Meninga stated following Sunday’s final, “He believes he belongs in this arena and his confidence has grown over three games.”
“He was excellent today and deserves to wear the No. 6 shirt. However, it’s all about believing in Tom, and once he consistently receives that, he will be an amazing player. It can take a while for gamers to feel like they fit in this setting.
