LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Brisbane Broncos fans would have been chewing their mouthguards in frustration as they watched the Pacific Championships final.
Tom Dearden's standout performance in the clash on Sunday was like a knock-out blow to the Broncos, highlighting the massive blunder they made in letting him go.
This would have been particularly hard to swallow for Broncos supporters, especially given the ongoing saga with Ezra Mam.
Dearden put on a clinic at five-eighth for the Kangaroos, helping them to a 20-14 victory over Tonga and solidifying his status as a future rugby league star.
The 23-year-old's impressive stats included three line-breaks, three try-assists, and 146 metres gained, making it one of the standout games of his career so far.
He overshadowed his halfback partner Mitchell Moses and displayed the kind of talent that promises to light up the game for years to come.
In the process, he exposed the Broncos' decision to let him go in 2021 as a major blunder.
Dearden may have had a shaky start to his NRL career after debuting for the Broncos at just 18 years old, but his performance in the Pacific Championships final showed just how wrong the Broncos were to prioritize other players over him.
The decision to let him walk to the North Queensland Cowboys while retaining the likes of Croft, Milford, and Gamble now looks like a glaring error.