Every once in a while, a rugby league club makes a signing that shifts the balance of the entire NRL. Whether that leads to a premiership, a Dally M medal, or simply an inch closer to the finals, an elite talent can alter the fabric of an NRL franchise.
While not every club has had a premiership-winning acquisition in the last decade, here are the best signings of the last decade for every team.
10. North Queensland Cowboys: Tom Dearden
What could be one of the best signings in club history, Tom Dearden is the heart and soul of the North Queensland Cowboys.
The Cowboys co-captain has grown tremendously throughout his young career, with the 23-year-old growing into one of the most lethal players in the NRL. Having already received representative honours for both Queensland and Australia, Dearden is showcasing an upward trajectory similar to that of an NRL legend.
While the Cowboys have been wildly inconsistent throughout Dearden's tenure, any strokes of brilliance the side has produced have all come off the back of the five-eighth's excellence.
Dearden's natural talent is only rivalled by his tremendous footy IQ and inspiring leadership, traits that landed him the nod for captaincy that made him the youngest skipper in the North Queensland Cowboys' history.
Every one of those is a plausible contender.
Personally, I would have picked Wayne Bennett as the Dolphinsโ greatest signing, but I expect youโre excluding coaches :=)
The only one I actually disagree with is Reece Walsh. I believe Payne Haas is more influential. Just my opinion, and you know what they say: โopinions are like a**holes โ everybody has got one, and some are more smelly than othersโ.
Apologies to ZeroTacklers if I just stank out the room !