New Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has reportedly decided on forward Kobe Hetherington's future after he was previously granted permission to test the open market in September.
Linked with a move to either the St George Illawarra Dragons or Wests Tigers for the past three months, there were constant fears that Hetherington had played his final match at Red Hill and would follow his former coach out of the club.
This came as the Broncos aim to reclaim their success of the 2023 season in which they made the NRLย Grand Final, andย Michael Maguireย looks to shake up the roster after taking over fromย Kevin Walters.
After reports emerged that Maguire was sitting down with Hetherington this week to discuss his future,ย The Courier-Mail has now reported that Maguire had made it clear that he wouldn't be released and wouldย see out the remainder of his contract with the Brisbane Broncos.
Despite him staying on for next season and his preference to stay at Brisbane, Hetherington's long-term future remains clouded as he runs off-contract at the end of the 2025 season and clearly sits behind Patrick Carrigan in the pecking order.
This means that the Dragons or Tigers can still negotiate with him for the 2026 NRL season if they want to but neither club has yet to table him an offer.
Likened to QLD Maroons legend Trevor Gillmeister, Hetherington recently represented the PM's XIII in Papua New Guinea and will use the next 12 months to impress Maguire.
Able to play anywhere in the forwards, he could very well find himself as either a starting front-rower or in the back-row as the Broncos are still trying to fill the holes in their forward pack left by Thomas Flegler, Kurt Capewell and Keenan Palasia.
The son of formerย QLD Maroonsย and Kangaroos representative Jason Hetherington, Kobe has made 77 appearances for theย Brisbane Broncosย since his debut in 2021 - 22 of those coming from this season.
This season, he has made 1483 total running metres (67 per match), 527 tackles (94.4 per cent tackle efficiency), 25 tackle busts, and one try against theย Gold Coast Titansย in Round 22.
โ'Madge' called me last week and I spoke to him for the first time,โ Hetherington recently said.
โHe seems like a good fella. I never want to leave the Broncos. I've been there for seven years and it's all I really know.
โI live and breathe the Broncos.โ
