Journeys which began almost a decade ago as members of the Cowboys' Mackay Academy have today come full circle for Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden, who have been announced as co-captains of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys.
The homegrown duo replace Jason Taumalolo and Chad Townsend, who will step back from the role, but remain members of the Cowboys’ leadership group.
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Born in Mackay before growing up in the tiny town of Koumala, Cotter played his junior football for the Sarina Crocodiles.
His move to the Cowboys NYC squad in 2016 was met with immediate adversity. Consecutive knee injuries saw Cotter miss the majority of the 2016 season and the entirety of the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
He returned to the field in 2019 and would make his NRL debut later that season. Over the course of five NRL seasons, Cotter has registered 59 appearances for the Cowboys, including 20 in 2023.
Cotter has also represented the Maroons on four occasions, claiming the Wally Lewis Medal for Player of the Series in 2023, as well as the Kangaroos five times.
Dearden becomes the youngest captain in Cowboys’ history, supplanting Johnathan Thurston who was 23 upon taking on the captaincy in 2007. Dearden will be just 22 when he takes the reins alongside Cotter in Round 1.
Born in Toowoomba, Dearden and his family moved to Mackay as a five-year-old. His talent became quickly evident playing for Mackay Brothers and by 2015 he was part of the Cowboys’ Mackay Academy.
Dearden relocated to South East Queensland in 2016 and after 22 games for the Broncos, he returned to North Queensland mid-way through the 2021 season.
Over the course of two and a half seasons at the Cowboys, Dearden has appeared in 58 games. He has also registered one appearance each for Queensland and the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII.
“This decision was not made lightly and is certainly no reflection on Jason and Chad’s leadership. This was a long-term decision for our club. We have a number of senior players entering the back-ends of their careers, which is why we have made the decision to make a change now to help our new captains develop while still having experienced shoulders to lean on for advice in the playing group,” Cowboys Head Coach Todd Payten said.
“Chad has had a profound impact on our club since his arrival, he has brought a different view to our players, particularly around professionalism and life away from football.
“Jase has always led through his actions, our players look to him in the toughest moments, which is one of the signs of a great leader.
“Jason and Chad’s roles will not change within our club other than not having the ‘C’ next to their name on the team sheet.
“We believe Reuben and Tom will complement each other as leaders.
“They represent everything we stand for and who we are as a club. They’re local kids, they’re relentlessly dedicated to this club and their teammates, but they’ve also had some life challenges which they have had to work their way through and now they’re representative players.
“Reuben and Tom lead everything we do, whether that be on the field, in the video room or preparing for games. They are terrific examples to the rest of our playing group.”
Cotter said he was honoured to lead the club he grew up supporting.
“This is a massive privilege. I have supported this club my entire life and now to be able to captain the Cowboys is an honour I will never take for granted,” he said.
“I went through some tough times early in my career, but I always had the support of the club and my family and now six years on I’m fortunate enough to be able to captain the Cowboys. I’m grateful and excited for the opportunity ahead of us.
“I want this team to be viewed as winners, but just as importantly I want our members and fans to see us as hard working and resilient. The people of North Queensland band together in the face of adversity and I would like this team to represent our community the same way.”
Dearden said he hoped to build on the platform laid by the Cowboys captains before him.
“I played all my junior football in North Queensland, I supported the club growing up, so this is a great honour for me to able to represent this region as captain of the Cowboys,” he said.
“When you look back at the history of the players who have captained this club, it includes some of the best to ever wear a Cowboys jersey and to be able to follow in their footsteps is very special.
“Reuben and myself are very lucky to have great leaders in Chad, Jason and Jordan McLean at the club as we transition into our new roles. They have already been extremely helpful and I know we will be turning to them for advice throughout the season.”
