Cowboys superstar Tom Dearden has pledged his long-term commitment to the club while labelling the speculation over his future as “a whole lot of nonsense”.
Dearden, who is under contract until the end of 2029, has been the subject of rumours that suggest he’s considering a move to Sydney for personal reasons.
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The Cowboys co-captain faced the media on Monday, voicing his frustrations with the recent speculation and putting any idea of an early exit from Townsville to bed.
“There’s been a fair bit of speculation getting around at the moment and there’s been a lot of suggestions that I’ve wanted to move on or leave the club and I just want to (say) that that’s not the case at all,” Dearden said.
“I don’t feel like I should have to get up here and explain myself or explain myself against speculation because it’s just been a whole lot of nonsense… I’m committed to the Cowboys until 2029 and I think it’s a bit silly that you have to get up here and speak to a bit of nonsense that’s been going around.
“I got my private life with a partner who’s pregnant and I’d like for that all to be kept private.”
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Journalists Brent Read and Dean Ritchie both opposed Dearden’s claims, sticking by the reports which linked the playmaker to a move south.
“I love the way says I want my private life to be private life but posts pictures with his pregnant partner on social media. If you want to keep it private, don’t put it on social media, just a tip for you brother,” Read said on Monday night’s episode of NRL360.
“I love Tommy but you can’t say the story is nonsense. He had a meeting with the club, his agent had a meeting with the club. It’s not nonsense.
“Clubs in Sydney were asked about Tommy Dearden by a certain person. That’s not nonsense, that happened.”
“He’s right. I‘m sick of players (talking) about their private life and then they go up to social media and post whatever they put up there. They’re allowed to do it, but don’t come back and say ‘don’t interfere with our private life’,” Ritchie said.
“One of the most powerful clubs in the game spoke to me and said he (Dearden) wants to come to Sydney so I took that on face value.
“He didn’t want to go to a particular club but it’s right, there were discussions about him coming to Sydney. I don’t mind him saying but don’t front the media and call it nonsense. That comment (from Dearden) was nonsense.”
NRL360 host Braith Anasta backed Read and Ritchie up, revealing he also heard “strong mail” relating to Dearden’s purported interest in a Sydney move.
“I’ve heard strong mail that certain people have reached out to certain clubs months ago about Tom Dearden,” Anasta said.
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During his brief media opportunity at Cowboys HQ, Dearden was also asked whether the recent speculation has had an impact on him and those close to him.
“Yeah it does. It’s had an impact on the personal life and I’ve got a pregnant partner and when there’s speculation getting around like that … people ask questions and you always have to answer to people and my partner’s had to do the same as well,” he said.
“I’ve always been committed to the Cowboys and that’s never changed.
“I just think it’s a bit disappointing that my partner and my family has had to deal with a lot of questions because of the speculation that’s going around.”
Dearden is currently sidelined with a shin injury and isn’t expecting to return until after the Cowboys’ Round 25 bye.