‘Going to be shattered’: Cowboys halfback out of Origin

By Jasper Bruce

Queensland’s State of Origin hopes have been rocked by news incumbent halfback Tom Dearden will miss up to two months with an ankle injury.

It comes as Maroons back Valentine Holmes prepares to undergo scans on a shoulder injury suffered in St George Illawarra’s loss to Newcastle on Saturday.

Dearden suffered his syndesmosis injury in North Queensland’s extra-time NRL loss to Parramatta on Friday night and will miss between six and eight weeks.

The 25-year-old will undergo surgery next week and is guaranteed to be sidelined for at least the first two games of the Origin series.

If he required the full eight weeks to recover, Dearden would not play again before game three, to be contested in Brisbane on July 8.

Dearden inspired Queensland to come from behind for a 2-1 series win last year after replacing captain Daly Cherry-Evans as halfback for game two.

The Cowboys co-captain, prized for his electric running game, was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal as player of the 2025 series.

His form has been less consistent for North Queensland this season, but Dearden had been considered a walk-up starter for game one.

Kalyn Ponga, vying to play fullback for the Maroons, struggled to contain his disappointment after being told the news of Dearden’s injury on Saturday.

“I feel for Tommy. I know how hard he works, how much he loves his footy, how much he loves Queensland,” Ponga said after the Knights’ 44-10 defeat of the Dragons.

“He’s going to be shattered. Queensland’s going to be shattered.”

Sam Walker and Ezra Mam appear replacement options for the series opener in Sydney on May 27, but both are uncapped at Origin level.

Newly-fit Ben Hunt seems another contender, but has mostly played hooker for Queensland in recent years.

A 26-time Origin veteran, Cherry-Evans said earlier this year that he would always remain open to a Maroons recall should Dearden or Cameron Munster be unavailable.

Queensland captain Munster looks set to retain the five-eighth jersey despite a poor start to the NRL season at Melbourne.

Dearden’s absence is yet another blow for coach Billy Slater, who is already without stalwarts Jeremiah Nanai and Xavier Coates for the series opener.

In other rugby league news, an irate Craig Fitzgibbon says he’s fed up with Cronulla’s up-and-down NRL displays as the Sharks coach turned the heat on his players and urged them to toughen up.

The Sharks have made finals in every season of Fitzgibbon’s reign but Saturday’s 36-12 defeat to South Sydney, leaves Cronulla outside the top eight.

Fitzgibbon described the two tries the Sharks scored in the final 15 minutes as representing a “false economy” as ill-discipline and handling errors put the Bunnies on a downhill run towards victory.

Brisbane have suffered another body blow to their forward pack with prop Jack Gosiewski ruled out of their blockbuster against the Warriors with a concussion.

Gosiewski left the field late in the Broncos’ hapless 32-4 loss to Manly at Brookvale on Saturday night, and it is understood his head knock was ruled as a category one.

It means the Broncos forward will enter the NRL’s concussion protocols, ruling him out of Magic Round and Brisbane’s heavyweight clash with the Warriors.

The Broncos will get halfback Adam Reynolds back for that match, but the defending premiers are desperately short on troops.

Gosiewski joins fellow forwards Payne Haas, Corey Jensen, Brendan Piakura, Blake Mozer and Billy Walters on the sidelines.

Prop Ben Te Kura is also still unavailable while attending a six-week NFL training camp in the USA.

None of that group are expected to return next week, while Brisbane are also still without suspended centre Kotoni Staggs along with injured backs Grant Anderson, Delouise Hoeter and Deine Mariner.

Saturday night’s flogging at the hands of Manly was easily the Broncos’ worst performance of the year, after having been gutsy without several stars in recent weeks.