Brisbane Broncos to make squad changes with NRL season over

Kieran Francis

Brisbane Broncos to make squad changes with NRL season over image

Brisbane Broncos are allowing Kobe Hetherington to chat with other clubs with several Sydney teams interested in the forward.

With the Broncos out of this season's finals race, the club is looking toward 2025 with Heatherington and Corey Oates likely to not be a part of the squad.

Wests Tigers are leading the race for Heatherington, with the player's agent confirming to AAP that his client was talking to other clubs with the hope of getting more playing time.

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Heatherington has started on the interchange in 19 of 22 matches this season, having played 77 in his career for the Broncos.

"The Broncos have given Kobe permission to talk to other clubs but they also want a suitable replacement for him," Heatherington's manager Chris Haddad said.

"Kobe is a starting player and he wants to start somewhere. He loves Kevvie as a coach and as a bloke and he loves the Broncos.

"The Broncos don't want to lose him and if they had a starting spot for him he would stay.

"Kobe is an 80-minute player and potential Origin player.

"His character off the field is a reflection of his character on it."

Winger Oates may also play his final game for the club on Thursday evening against the Storm.

The cult hero has confirmed the rumours that Brisbane are yet to offer him a contract extension beyond the current 2024 NRL season.

"The club's sort of, they haven’t come forward with an offer yet and they’ve said they probably won't," Oates told Robin & Kip on KIIS 97.3 on Tuesday morning.

"I’m still hopeful I can change peoples' minds pretty easily.

"I’ve got to go out there and perform the way I know I can, and hopefully give me that ... one more roll of the dice and see what they can do.

"I’d love to do as much as I can for that club and be part of it.

"There are really good players there and it’s a really good culture in the playing group. There’s a lot of positive things ahead.

"It would be nice to be offered one more year with the club."

A one-club player, Oates signed with the Broncos in 2013, racking up 215 appearances and scoring 121 tries to date.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.