It’s not his fault that they offered him the money. How was he ever meant to succeed with that team around him? When he signed the deal, he was on top of his game.
No, not Tom Dearden, the new recipient of a megabucks deal at the Cowboys, but Luke Brooks, once the coming man as far as NRL five eighths went.
Brooks is in many ways the cautionary tale for million-dollar deals, a guy given a five year, big money contract on the back of a good season amid a tight market for playmakers.
At the time, few questioned it, but by the end, it was an albatross around his neck.
Luke Brooks was never as good as his contract suggested, really, but also not as bad as he was considered to be in relation to that same contract – and, all the above caveats about the cattle, his standing and what his employers were willing to offer him were all true.
Dearden is 22, a year younger than Brooks was when he got his massive Tigers pay packet, but also wasn’t off the back of a Dally M third place and Halfback of the Year gong, either.
Brooks was also part of a strong spine that included Benji Marshall next to him and Robbie Farah in front. The Tigers had just finished ninth two years running, nosebleed territory for them.
He was set up for success, but things went drastically the other way.
None of this is to say Dearden will end up like Brooks: it’s more to point out that most deals like this look decent when they are signed, and the parameters fundamentally shift bad on how much cap space someone takes up.
Cash equals pressure, whether you like it or not, and Dearden is now judged as an elite playmaker on elite playmaker money, even though in reality, he’s the exact same player he was last season.
What the Cowboys have done is to bet the next few seasons on their 6 improving into his pay packet. On 2023 form, he’s not worth the huge outlay, but that’s why he signed a five year contract. The assumption will be that, in the future, it will look cheap.
For North Queensland, Dearden’s extension means that they have locked in their best half for the foreseeable, having already tied down Scott Drinkwater, the fullback, and Reece Robson, the newly minted NSW hooker. It’s a decent place to be.
dribe
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The club have struggled badly because of a lack of an elite spine, going back to the 2022 season where Mitch Moses, Dylan Brown and Clint Gutherson were essentially the difference between Parramatta making the Grand Final and the Cowboys not.
With Chad Townsend off contract at the end of this year and almost certain not to be extended (given his age), the pressure is well and truly on for Dearden to expand into that gap as the senior half.
When he has played best, it has been with the licence to pick his moments in attack, safe in the knowledge that someone else is running the show.
Last year, for example, he averaged seven runs per game – pretty standard for a 6 in a decent team – but smashed it in metres per run, with only Dylan Brown, Matt Burton and Ezra Mam above him. It’s a good cohort to be in.
However, when it came to the more subtle side of the game, things fell away. His creative stats were middle of the road and, bar a purple patch that coincided with the Cows’ best form of the year around August, wouldn’t have been of a level that screamed million dollar contract.
Two things jump out of his numbers in 2023.
For one, he did best when everyone else did best – not uncommon for halves – but something that, for example, Scott Drinkwater didn’t have.
(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
The fullback’s ability to influence games independently of how the game was going speaks to how good an attacker he is and to his willingness to try things that are a little out of the box.
That’s a skill Dearden would do well to look at, and perhaps, one that Payten could do more to encourage, as the Cowboys can at times be a little too conservative with the ball.
Secondly, his best form tended to be when his pass-to-run ration was lowest, suggesting that one of the NRL’s most empty and overused cliches – “he needs to have a run-first mentality” – was actually true in Dearden’s case.
Running all the time is not a plus point, because everyone expects it, but Dearden has often been guilty of playing a little too far from the line in attack and, when he has that run well established, can be a lot more effective as a passer.
When you have a supremely creative fullback in Drinkwater, an above-average running 9 in Robson and a controller in Townsend, there is balance to be found in a more run-dominant 6.
The salary cap architecture of the Cowboys suggests that the spine hierarchy will remain as it is, with the 7 the least important of the quartet for the foreseeable.
Dearden’s weakest area is his kicking – he didn’t register a single kick try assist in 2023 – and it will be vital that the Cowboys recruitment department find someone who can fill that gap when they go to find Townsend’s replacement.
It might be that they have it already in Jake Clifford, who did pretty well in that regard in his year in the Super League, but he has never really shown anything to suggest that he’s top four class at NRL level.
By signing this deal, along with his fullback and hooker, Dearden is being set up for success at the Cowboys.
Their age profile is dropping year-to-year and will drop further as the likes of Townsend, Kyle Feldt and Jake Granville are phased out.
Jason Taumalolo and Jordan McLean are now the only players over 30 and over half of the 31 who featured in the NRL last year are under 26 with the likes of Jeremiah Nanai, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Zac Laybutt under 21.
The generational change at North Queensland has been quiet, but effective. It might be that 2024 is another year where they add experience to their spine and transition further into the side that they want to be in 2025 and beyond. Extending Dearden is a superb move in that regard.
At 22, he already has 80 NRL appearances, well over the 50-75 that most coaches will tell you are required to know what level a player will reach.
With so much experience so young, it’s now on him to kick on even further and cement himself as one of the best five eighths in the comp.
If he does, that price tag will look cheap. If he doesn’t, he’ll look like Luke Brooks.
Don
Roar Rookie
Just use the nice term Nat, Passengers...
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Jamie Soward and Jackson Hastings were two halves who didn't take on the line enough , particularly early in their careers and it's painful to watch. Foran played his role to perfection. A demon in defence as well.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I don't agree that when a young star doesn't meet expectations that you can just go ahead and claim it's all the clubs or coaches fault. I see it all the time. Fact is it's hard to make it as a half in the NRL but the best of them do make it largely due to their efforts, talent and ability to handle the pressure of the role. Nathan Cleary is a perfect example.
CJ
Roar Rookie
With all the additional media attention players get now it’s a wonder 7’s are able to develop naturally. Probably puts a little extra credibility into players like Cleary who are in a whole new world when it comes to media. Might be a big reason Tommy prefers Townsville over Brisbane or Sydney
CJ
Roar Rookie
I thought early Keiran Foran was a great example of "run first". Not that I'd call it that. He had the ability to pass deep but also a nice hard left step at the line in between defenders. He was the perfect mix which, as a consequence, leaves the defensive line with plenty of guesses. I assume the run first is just a media term to get the player involved in the game... "get your jersey dirty early and the rest will come" was the old way
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
I've watched the game for decades but can't recall when and who was responsible for labelling the 1.6,7, and 9 as a teams "spine" It's kinda got a "Gus" feel about it!
Nat
Roar Guru
They taught Milford to get big but then that became his only weapons was the diem town bomb or inside foot spiral. DCE doesn't have a big boot but he positions well and finds the turf.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure what the stats say but Walker runs the ball with purpose when he does do it and does it often enough to make sure he has the defence on notice as in his solo GF try. I don't enjoy watching halves who go through the motions for just about the whole game and its not effective either. Maloney was a good example of a player who was a dangerous runner and ball player. Kyle Flanagan must have some talent but unless he can threaten the line he's wasting his time in the NRL in my opinion , in the halves anyway. I think Ben Hunt can fall into that trap a bit too much as well and he's an excellent runner. To me the cliche means to take on and trouble the defence on a regular basis with the aim of breaking through but have the option of passing as you asses the defence's reaction to your run and how much trouble they are in and whether passing is the better option.
Nat
Roar Guru
We’d get cancelled if we reverted to calling wingers in old slang.
Nat
Roar Guru
NGO and health affiliated companies are great for an acronym or bumper sticker cliche.
langparker
Roar Rookie
I reckon it’s a good move by the cowboys. Seibold was instrumental in the disintegration of Tom Dearden’s NRL career at the broncos so good luck to any young half coming through the ranks at Manly. Walker, Flanagan, Trindall, Sexton, Boyd, Clifford, Taaffe, Hutchison, Madden and Cogger. Just a short list of decent halves yet to establish themselves at the NRL level despite varied success. Gamble, Volkman, Metcalfe, Wishart, Pezet, Smith (Sandon), Arthur and Sullivan not to mention the ones who seek relief from the distress by moving to the English SuperLeague. Some experienced & some rookies but all thrown in at various stages of their careers and yet to lock down a decent crack at permanency in a playmaking role. Food for thought or just the inevitable mincing machine that the NRL is in this era?
Don
Roar Rookie
Thanks Mike. Appreciate it. :happy:
Mike Meehall Wood
Editor
I shall revert to the Pommy version, 'pivots', from now on just for you.
Mike Meehall Wood
Editor
Run-first is the obvious thing when, really the standout two 6s in the comp are Cody Walker and Cam Munster, one of whom is pass-first and the other is run-first. That's not to say that one can't do the other, but they clearly specialise well. Agree on Schuster, though...his strength was to do all the other stuff while still being a the size of a backrower...so he decided to play like he was 30kgs lighter.
langparker
Roar Rookie
Isn’t that Perkins bloke a gun kicking coach? They could get them doing a pre-season with an AFL squad or hire one of their proven kicking coaches.
langparker
Roar Rookie
Jimmmy, have always thought Clifford was a quality halfback and often wondered what went wrong at the cowboys in that first stint there. He was a Qld U20 origin half & just looked to have time and vision but I reckon the cowboys were too impatient with him when he was just a kid. Of all the new halves at various clubs, I reckon he’ll surprise us the most next season if the first grade opportunity arises. I don’t think Brooks has any surprises in his kitbag, he’s played the same game for what seems like an eternity. Schuster’s another, all hype with the occasional flash of brilliance to tease his club coaches and fans. Should have been sent to run Mt Cootha with chubby Valance Te Whare.
langparker
Roar Rookie
Milford did take the broncs within extra time of a GF win, to be fair, and would have clearly been man of the match had the broncs won (JT had an ordinary game until the end clutch play). All had a serious touch of brilliance as young guys, interestingly, each put on the pudding & their games deteriorated as a consequence. Each also had high expectations placed on them as young playmakers & struggled to handle the constant scrutiny. As a young half, Ash Taylor was the one with all the skills & because of injuries probably never got to show us what he was truly capable of.
Nat
Roar Guru
Agree that money does lift expectation but I reckon Tommy is one who will continue to grow with his role in NQ. He also has the benefit of not being in Sydney and a far more forgiving/patient fan base. Plus he is already being groomed for a Qld role. As demonstrated by JT, success at that level can maintain a status when the club is not travelling so well. I can see Tommy captaining this club before this contract expires (or shortly after). He’’l have near 150 games by then and most likely a rep player. I’m not a big fan of comparing stats between players, especially halves, because they all have their own styles and strengths. Tommy knows what he is good at can generally pick his time. If his coaches allow that to play out he will be a celebrated man in the north.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Matt, 5 years is not 10. Imo 5 is the absolute Max you should sign a player for and I'm happy to have Tommy for 5. Bloody JT 13 still has 3 to go. It was a dumb signing.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
It’s funny but Ive seen Tommy really try to kick long. Exaggerated head over the ball,, keeping his head down long after the ball goes, extending the follow through . He obviously had training . Yet he still kicked like a pop gun.