Leading Brisbane halfback Tom Dearden is understood to be catching the attention of several rival clubs, as the 19-year-old fields offers for his future, per The Sunday Mail.ย
Dearden remains off-contract to begin 2021 and is tossing up his future at Red Hill, with the Broncos keen to retain his services.
The Brisbane teenager debuted for the Broncos in 2019, playing five matches before injuries took a toll on his season.
Dearden managed to play 12 matches in 2020 and impressed under Anthony Seibold in a squad desperate for glimmers of hope, with the No.7 showing great flair despite failing to feature in a victory last season.
The rising star is seen as Kevin Walters' first-string halfback ahead of Brodie Croft and veteran five-eighth Anthony Milford, with the Broncos set for a fresh start this season.
๐ฅTom Dearden!๐ฅ
He's gone in, out around and over! The Broncos are right in it.
STREAM: https://t.co/sZc0oYV6ek#9WWOS #NRL #NRLBroncosDragons pic.twitter.com/7TmnrWfGdh
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) August 21, 2020
NRL legend Wally Lewis has lauded Dearden's recent rise and backs the playmaker in for the future.
โHe is an exceptional young talent,โ Lewis told the Mail.
โAs a young football talent he doesnโt lack anything. He has got guts, determination and intention. I got a thrill watching him taking on some of the biggest guys in the competition.
โHe has got the sort of backbone that you can model an entire club around. It would be a couple of years in the making, but he is a wonderful young talent.
โI donโt know what theyโve got in mind with their long-term plans, but Iโd be stunned if Tom Deardenโs name wasnโt well and truly up the list as one of the players they want.
โHe is a player I would have loved to have had in my side. He has got some guts.
โWhen I covered a story with him for Channel 9 I spoke to him and he was very quiet and all ears. His intentions are to be successful and not leave anything on the field.
โFor a young man to have already set such a high level of intentions promises good things for the future.โ