North Queensland Cowboys coach Todd Payten has revealed Tom Dearden was handed a halves spot in the Round 1 team to play the Canterbury Bulldogs on Sunday evening ahead of Scott Drinkwater based on defensive abilities.
It has been one of the key questions of the off-season, with the Cowboys signing Tom Dearden and Chad Townsend for 2022.
Dearden arrived at the club in the middle of last year, while Townsend - on big money - arrived ahead of the pre-season getting underway.
Townsend was always going to wear one of the jerseys in the side, however, the race between Dearden and the enormously talented Drinkwater had split fans.
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Dearden won the race when teams were revealed on Tuesday afternoon, with Todd Payten telling the club website that there wasn’t much in it.
“I thought both of those boys (Scott Drinkwater and Tom Dearden) performed really well in the trials, and the decision to go with Tommy is basically based on defensive abilities,” Payten said.
“Both of them attacked really well, I just thought Tommy defended stronger, so that’s the reason he is in the team.”
Another selection which raised eyebrows was that of Jeremiah Nanai after he missed the Cowboys’ second trial with illness.
Payten explained that he is back to full fitness though.
“He (Jeremiah Nanai) is fine. He did a bit of work late last week when the players had some time off just to get him back up to speed as quick as possible,” Payten said.
“He is an exciting young kid with plenty of ability.”
Elsewhere, Payten - a coach under fire after the Cowboys wound up in the bottom four at the end of 2022 - said that Jamayne Taunoa-Brown had impressed since he arrived in Townsville, winning a starting front row spot for Round 1.
“He (Jamayne Taunoa-Brown) has come here with his head down and a willingness to work. He has earnt the respect of his teammates and the staff, and he has a bit of footy in him that we are trying to encourage him to play,” Payten said.
“He has nice hands, he is quite skillful and he has a decent motor.
“He will start the game, get a good chunk to start the match and then finish the match as well.”
Kick-off against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 6:15pm (AEDT) - 5:15pm (local time) on Sunday evening in Townsville.
