Star North Queensland Cowboys half Thomas Dearden will not rush into a decision over his future, with a possibility of switching into the halfback role also floated.
In an open market with few quality options to wear either the number six or seven jersey, Dearden is likely to be chased by a number of clubs.
It has already been reported that the St George Illawarra Dragons under new coach Shane Flanagan will look to make Dearden a part of their rebuild, and other Sydney-based clubs could show plenty of interest.
Dearden's manager Sam Ayoub told News Corp that there was no rush for Dearden in assessing his options.
โTom is in a good position whether it be now, in January, or March, April,โ Sam Ayoub told the publication.
โI don't want to heap any pressure on him so I won't be talking about it publicly.
โHe is on the market but there is no urgency for either he or I or the Cowboys to jump into it.
โThey know my position and we will assess it in due course.โ
While the Cowboys have suggested they are confident in retaining Dearden, it's unlikely the Townsville-based club will be able to match offers from rivals.
It means Dearden will have a difficult decision on his hands, not just over money, but also over role.
There is a chance he may want to switch to play in the number seven, something he would likely be able to do in Townsville following Chad Townsend's retirement.
Not only that, but Ayoub also suggested it won't all come down to money, with Dearden wanting to play for a successful club.
The former Brisbane Bronco was part of the Cowboys side who made the preliminary finals in 2022, although the 2023 campaign saw the Cowboys come up well short, missing the finals.
โThere are clubs that will be able to afford to pay a lot more for him (than the Cowboys),โ Ayoub added.
โBut are they clubs you want to go to? Are they clubs that he will be happy at?
โSo to say when is he making a decision (about his future), my answer is what urgency is there?
โHis value isn't going to diminish.โ
Dearden has been able to negotiate with rival clubs since November 1.
