North Queensland Cowboys star Tom Dearden will end speculation on where his future lies when the club hosts a press conference on Monday.
CODE Sports is reporting Dearden will honour his lucrative five-year contract he signed with the Cowboys in 2023, despite whispers surfacing that he will relocate to a Sydney-based NRL club to be closer to his partner.
Dearden's extension weighs $4 million, and will front Townsville media to assure the Cowboys faithful he will remain in North Queensland.
No doubt many Sydney clubs would have had their interest piqued with rumours emerging of Dearden looking for a switch.
Only 12 months ago Dearden was the Queensland Maroons halfback and steered the Sunshine State to an enormous series in Sydney.
Dearden told News Corp in July of his intentions with the Cowboys.
"North Queensland is such a passionate rugby league region,” he said to the publication.
“We have people travelling four, five and even 10 hours to watch us play.
“When you look back at 2015 and see what that first premiership meant to the community, you understand how much success means to this region.
“That's a huge driving force when you're playing for the Cowboys - knowing how much it means to the people and how important it is to represent them.
“I would love to win a premiership for the people of North Queensland.”
Dearden has risen as one of the game's best playmakers following his exit from the Brisbane Broncos.
The 25-year-old made the trip north in the middle of the 2021 season, and has perfected his craft with an elite running game and composed kicking off the boot.
His partner runs a successful business in Sydney, creating fears he would look for an early exit.
“He loves the club. Tom Dearden has a girlfriend in another city but he isn't the only person with a partner living away from them," Dearden's manager told CODE earlier in the week.
Dearden is currently sidelined with a unique ankle injury and hasn't been given a return timeline yet after only just coming back from a long-term spell from syndesmosis surgery.
The Cowboys currently sit in ninth and are in the fight to claim a spot in the Top 8 for September.
The club suffered one of the worst losses in NRL history this week, being on the wrong end of an 82-12 demolition from the Sydney Roosters.
The opportunity to right their wrongs comes in a clash against the Gold Coast Titans on Thursday.
