Dearden piling on pain

PBC graduate’s fresh injury leaves Broncos in halfback hole

BRISBANE’S playmaking stocks have hit crisis point, with boom halfback Tom Dearden ruled out for the season in the lead-up to the Broncos’ grudge match against Wayne Bennett’s struggling Souths this Friday night.

Just 24 hours after Tevita Pangai Jr and Jake Turpin were charged by the NRL, Palm Beach Currumbin product Dearden will not return this year in another blow to Brisbane’s finals charge. Broncos coach Anthony Seibold is set to be on the lookout for a new halfback for the Rabbitohs blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium, with makeshift No.7 Turpin facing a two-match ban for striking in Brisbane’s 24-12 defeat of Penrith on Friday night.

The 18-year-old Dearden, who coincidentally made his NRL debut against Souths in Round 8, was one option to replace Turpin, but his scratching has left the Broncos scrambling for scrumbase alternatives.

Dearden damaged his ankle against the Titans in Round 13, only to suffer a fresh setback in his Intrust Super Cup comeback a fortnight ago.

It is understood Seibold has decided to place the teenager in cotton wool for the rest of the season to prepare him for action in 2020.

Seibold is set to issue an SOS for fellow rookie Sean O’Sullivan, who has played just four first-grade games and would face the biggest test of his embryonic career trying to bring down Bennett’s Bunnies.

Brisbane are clinging to their finals lives in seventh.

While Turpin has been a makeshift option at halfback following injuries to Dearden and O’Sullivan, the hooker has done a fine job, losing just once in seven weeks since his move to the halves.

Turpin is likely to miss two matches, while Pangai Jr could be rubbed out for the rest of the season.

Seibold began analysing footage of the Rabbitohs last Friday and refuses to talk finals football as he focuses solely on the Souths club he coached to the top four last year.

“I’m not even going to think about the finals,” he said. “I’m really pleased with how we are building, we have now lost one game from our last seven.

“If we keep working hard during the week and we are diligent with our preparation and we don’t take any shortcuts, we’ll get what we deserve over the next few weeks.”