Mal Meninga's telling response as Tom Dearden puts Cameron Munster on notice in Kangaroos triumph

Mal Meninga has suggested Tom Dearden may remain the Australian five-eighth even when Cameron Munster is fit after he played a starring role in the Kangaroos' Pacific Championships final triumph. The rising playmaker was instrumental in the Kangaroos scoring a 20-14 win over Tonga in Sunday's final. And with performances like that the 23-year-old could keep the Storm No.6 out of both the Queensland and Australian teams moving forward.

In the final, Dearden made three line breaks, racked up three try assists and ran for 146 metres. He completely outshone his halves partner Mitchell Moses and showed why he'll be a star of the game for the next decade to come. His man-of-the-match performance also helped Australia make amends for their shock loss in the corresponding fixture last year.

This year has been a breakout year for Dearden, who continues to go from strength to strength. Not only did the crafty half lead his club team, the Cowboys, to the NRL finals in 2024, but he also played in all three State of Origin games for Queensland and was awarded the Dally M five-eighth of the Year award. Add to that a man of the match display in the Kangaroos' Pacific Championships final triumph and at 23 years of age he is clearly the future for both state and country.

Sunday was another performance that would have Munster nervous, with the 30-year-old not only injury-prone but aging. And both Meninga and Queensland coach Billy Slater may decide moving forward, even if the Storm five-eighth is available, to put trust in their respective side's futures and stick with Dearden.

Mal Meninga's faith in Tom Dearden pays dividends

Meninga didn't have Munster or Nathan Cleary available for the Pacific Championships but overlooked the likes of Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans in favour of Dearden and Mitch Moses in the halves. But when asked post-game if Dearden only played because of Munster's absence, Meninga quickly dismissed that suggestion stating: “Who says that?”. “Obviously his leadership skills have helped him in his development as a player and a person,” Meninga said.

“With us, I feel that his confidence has grown over the three games. His belief that he belongs in this arena, he belongs in that six jersey... It’s all around Tom believing in Tom. Once he gets that on a regular basis he’s a terrific player."

While the Australian coach admitted it "probably took him (Dearden) three games to get to where he was today" he said in the final the five-eighth was "outstanding". And Meninga went on to stress post-game the fact Australia has stiff competition for the No.6 jersey in him, Munster and Matt Burton, will only help take each of their games to the next level and ensure Australia remains the dominant force in international rugby league in the years to come.

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Kristian Woolf proud of gritty Tongan side

The Tongans, fresh off last week's upset win over the Kiwis, threatened to cause another boilover when they scored with seven minutes left to close the gap to six points in the final. But Kristian Woolf's men failed to get over the line, with the team left to rue some missed chances.

Despite coming so close to the ultimate prize, Woolf said he was very proud of what his team achieved at this year's Pacific Championships. "I'm very proud of our blokes, I thought our effort was outstanding, and that's the only thing I can ask for," Woolf said.

with AAP