Tom Dearden has shut down chatter the North Queensland star would tear up his contract and move to Sydney in a fiery press conference in Townsville.
The rugby league rumour mill ignited when the Cowboys co-captain’s partner – Sydney business owner Millie Olliver – revealed the pair were expecting their first child.
Among those suggestions were the Queensland Maroons halfback would seek an early release from his lucrative five-year deal which expires at the end of 2029.
But Dearden, fronting reporters despite remaining sidelined through injury, dispelled the theory and said he was fed up with the questions aimed at his family.
“I don’t feel like I should have to get up here and explain myself against speculation because it’s just been a whole lot of nonsense. I’ve got my private life with a partner who’s pregnant, and I’d like for that to all be kept private,” Dearden said.
“It’s had an impact on the private life. When there’s speculation going around like that, you know that people are reading that, and it gives them questions to ask, and you always have to answer to people – my partner has had to do the same as well.
“The private life part is private for a reason, and I just think it’s a bit disappointing my partner and family has had to deal with a lot of questions because of speculation that has gone around in the media.
“There have been no suggestions or no thinking about not being committed to the Cowboys. I’m not recommitting … I’ve always been committed to the Cowboys.”
Dearden has endured an injury-riddled campaign, having undergone surgery on a syndesmosis issue which robbed him of a State of Origin appearance — one which would have given him the chance to defend his Wally Lewis Medal.
He managed just one game on his comeback – scoring a try and setting up another in the Cowboys’ loss to the Dolphins – before being sidelined again with a muscle tear in his shin.
In his absence, North Queensland secured a hard-fought triumph of the Broncos before suffering the worst defeat in their history against the Roosters – an 82-12 capitulation which coach Todd Payten described as their “darkest day”.
The loss leaves the club teetering on the brink of the finals’ wilderness, currently sitting in ninth but with a bye up their sleeve, which Dearden revealed was his intended comeback date.
“It’s actually tracking pretty well, I’ve hopefully only got a few more weeks and the shin is starting to feel pretty good,” Dearden said.
“I’m hoping to be back after the bye, I think that’s about three or four weeks away now, and that’ll give it enough time for this injury to heal. I want to make sure I’m right before I come back.”
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