The Manly Sea Eagles have pulled off a smart piece of recruitment with the signing of tough forward Kobe Hetherington from the Brisbane Broncos.
Hetherington has agreed to join the Sea Eagles on a multi-year deal, adding depth and some versatility to Anthony Seibold’s pack heading into 2026.
The 26-year-old has built a reputation as a reliable middle forward who consistently gets through defensive work and can provide energy off the bench as well.
In 2025 he was the Broncos’ starting lock before some lineup changes saw him move to a bench role midseason after coach McGuire seemingly grew frustrated with parts of his forward pack.
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Hetherington has played more than 100 first-grade games for the Broncos since making his debut in 2021, having spent the past five seasons in Brisbane.
When coming through the junior ranks, Hetherington was held in high regard but has not quite reached the heights the Broncos likely expected, which has led him to leave Red Hill for the first time in his career.
The Sea Eagles, however, have been desperate to replenish their forward stocks, and Hetherington is young enough to still have plenty of development ahead while complementing the Sea Eagles’ existing forward pack immediately.
It is also a significant career step for Hetherington, who will now look to secure a more regular starting role in Manly’s pack after being demoted to the bench once again in Brisbane.