LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Shane Flanagan, the coach of the Dragons, has his sights set on Cowboys five-eighth Tom Dearden as the Dragon's long-term halfback.
Flanagan is looking to overhaul the squad ahead of the new season and has Dearden on his wish list.
He is also continuing his efforts to lure Joey Manu to the Red V, even offering the club captaincy to the Roosters star if he was to make the switch.
Flanagan has made it well-known how much he wants Manu at the club and is attempting to seize on the opportunity of the Roosters centre coming off contract at the end of 2024, meaning he is currently free to negotiate with rival NRL clubs.
And Flanagan puts Dearden in the same boat as Manu as someone who the Dragons can build a team around.
"Tommy's very similar to Joey (Manu), in that if he decides I want to test the market …he knows that we would love to talk," Flanagan told AAP.
"He's a young half, played Origin.
Got the world at his feet.
He could be the future halfback of this club for another five or six years.
It would be silly not to investigate if he's on the market.
I don't know if he is open to moving, we've spoken, but Tom is a different young kid as well.
He doesn't like the fanfare and the media and all that sort of stuff.
We'll respect that and when and if the time comes, well we'll do the best."
Dearden has scored 24 tries in 80 NRL games for the Cowboys and Broncos since his debut in 2019 and has represented Queensland in State of Origin in 2022.
Flanagan insists that bringing Dearden to the club wouldn't spell the end of skipper Ben Hunt, as the coach believes they can coexist.
"Ben would be that excited to have Tommy here at the club," Flanagan said.