Former Broncos coach Kevin Walters has “cleared the air” over the Broncos’ release of Tom Dearden back in 2021.

Dearden was allowed to leave Brisbane mid-season four years ago to link up with the Cowboys.

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In Townsville, Dearden has established himself as one of the game’s elite playmakers. If anyone had any doubts over that, Dearden put those to bed with an all-time performance in the Origin decider to lead the Maroons to a series clinching win.

Dearden played 22 games for the Broncos, only winning four of them as the club was going through a tough period in the wake of the sacking of Anthony Seibold.

Walters replaced Seibold as Broncos coach in 2020, before he too was sacked by the club at the end of last season.

Walters, who made the call to let the struggling Dearden walk, explained the reasoning behind his decision on the Inside Ball podcast.

Walters said comparisons to Broncos legend Allan Langer weighed on Dearden with the young playmaker tasked with wearing the No. 7 for a Brisbane side parked near the bottom of the table.

“I’m going to clear the air here. Tommy had to get out of the Broncos,” Walters said.

“There was too many comparisons. He was getting snowed under, he was getting hammered and I really felt sorry for him.

“He couldn’t show what sort of player he was.

“The move up there has been so good for him. He has got out of the limelight and he can just be Tom Dearden”

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Walters’ Inside Ball co-host Ben Dobbin put to the former Broncos coach that the club’s choice to part ways with Dearden could go down as “one of the most disgraceful decisions ever”.

“Unfortunately, Tommy coming into first grade was too early for him … He was only 18,” Walters replied.

“Tommy’s time at the Broncos was the wrong time … The club was struggling.

“There was a lot going on and for a halfback to be under that sort of pressure at that age, his confidence was gone and I said to him that the move would be good for him and look how he has kicked on.

Walters then teased that Dearden could one day return to the club it all started at.

“He is only 24 so he has another 10 years ahead of him.

“He may end up at the Broncos again.”