Tom Dearden tipped to sign for shock NRL club

Tom Dearden has been linked with a surprise NRL club.

His future with the Cowboys is still unconfirmed as speculation mounts that the halfback will seek an early release.

This is due to Dearden’s partner being located in Sydney and unwilling to move up north.

Unsurprisingly, this has alerted multiple Sydney clubs, with the Queensland playmaker one of the highest-rated halves in the NRL.

Now it seems, several leading journos are starting to join the dots on where Dearden’s most likely landing spot will be.

On Fox League’s NRL 360,  Dean Ritchie discussed the player’s current situation and what his future looks like.

“The Mail will not go away that Tom D will be in Sydney in 2028. What club that is, I don’t know right here right now, but I think Souths is a fair bet.

“But if he is going to go, he probably needs to say to the Cowboys, ‘Next year is my last, you need to start to move forward because you need a replacement halfback’.”

Latrell Mitchell is expected to hit the open market, and his future with the Rabbitohs is not yet secured.

Perth Bears are willing to meet Mitchell’s wage demands to secure the star, which would leave huge cap space for the Bunnies.

Cody Walker is also likely entering his final year in green and red, leaving a huge void in South Sydney’s spine.

If Dearden is available, the Rabbitohs could act fast and pull the trigger on a deal early to fend off interest from rivals.

It would be a huge move for both club and player, with Dearden thriving since leaving the Broncos for the Cowboys in 2021.

Since then, he has established himself in both the Maroons and Kangaroos setups, with his quality and leadership allowing the Cowboys to continually punch above their weight.

Now though, the time may have arrived for Dearden to make that big career move to Sydney and prove he is one of the best players in the game.