NRL Rd 11 - Broncos v Storm
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 24: Tom Dearden of the Broncos in action during the round 11 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium on July 24, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

The North Queensland Cowboys have announced Tom Dearden will join the club with immediate effect after being granted an early release by the Brisbane Broncos.

Dearden had already signed a three-year deal with the Cowboys starting in 2022 but will now make the immediate move to North Queensland.

"We are thrilled the opportunity arose to accelerate Tom’s arrival in North Queensland," Cowboys Head of Football Micheal Luck said on the club website.

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"The prospect of adding someone with Tom’s talent and enthusiasm to our team mid-season is exciting for our club.

"We believe he will be a tremendous asset for the North Queensland Cowboys for the remainder of 2021 and beyond."