NRL 2021: Bulldogs chase Kobe Hetherington, Broncos sign Jordan Pereira
Canterbury are chasing the son of a club and Origin great while Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has landed the first piece in his rebuild puzzle.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Canterbury are targeting the son of a former club premiership winner and Queensland Origin player Jason Hetherington.
Broncos hooker Kobe Hetherington is the 22-year-old son of former Bulldogs hooker and two-time premiership winner Jason Hetherington.
Hetherington played 118-games for Canterbury, winning the 1995 grand final. He also represented Queensland on eight occasions.
Capable of playing hooker or lock, Kobe has played four NRL games so far this year and is off-contract at the Broncos. He has recently met with Bulldogs officials about moving to Belmore.
The Queensland under-20s player is viewed as a key signing for Dogs coach Trent Barrett.
Stream selected Fox League shows on Kayo Freebies completely free this June including NRL 360, Sunday Night with Matty Johns, Big League Wrap & more. No Credit Card. No Brainer. Register Free Now >
Meanwhile a pitch to lure Penrith centre Brent Naden to Belmore immediately has been rejected.
Naden is yet to play first grade for the Panthers this season and is headed to the Bulldogs on a two-year deal from 2022.
The strike centre was named as Ivan Cleary’s 19th man for the Panthers clash with the Roosters on Friday night.
Competition for backline spots between Paul Momirovski, Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton and Dylan Edwards have been a factor in Naden seeking a fresh start at the Bulldogs next year.
And it’s the reason why he has been unable to land a regular starting spot so far this season.
The omission of Naden hasn’t been missed by the Dogs who would happily use the try-sneak in their bid to climb up the NRL ladder.
Naden’s inability to feature in the NRL this season is why the Dogs came knocking on Penrith’s door over the past fortnight.
The Panthers have told Canterbury officials they won’t be letting the 25-year-old go until the year is over.
Naden has been encouraged by conversations with Panthers management who have suggested he is only one injury away from breaking back into the top grade and if required, he could end his tenure at the club with a priceless final or grand final appearance.
Canterbury are also in the process of making a call on the size of their offer for unwanted Sharks half Shaun Johnson. It‘s anticipated the Dogs will table a two-year deal for the former Kiwi International.
REVEALED: BRISBANE’S FIRST RECRUIT SINCE TPJ BOMBSHELL
The embattled Broncos have continued their recruitment drive with the signing of St George Illawarra winger Jordan Pereira.
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has landed his first scalp since giving Broncos forward Tevita Pangai Jnr permission to leave the club, snaring Pereira on a two-year deal until the end of 2023.
The Broncos plan to free up more than $1 million under the salary-cap with the impending release of Pangai Jnr and Matt Lodge and Brisbane have used some of those funds to lure Pereira from the Dragons’ den.
The acquisition of Pereira will add depth to Brisbane’s full-time roster with star Souths halfback Adam Reynolds and former Queensland Origin centre Brenko Lee also arriving at Red Hill in 2022.
The 28-year-old Pereira is a nuggety, hard-running winger. The New Zealand-born flanker has scored nine tries from 38 games since his NRL debut in 2018, but has struggled to break into the Dragons line-up this season, playing just three games.
Pereira has experience playing rugby league on Queensland soil, having a stint with Mackay Cutters in the Intrust Super Cup in 2014 before he was spotted by St George Illawarra scouts.
Walters is keen to create competition in his outside backs with Pereira to fight for a starting berth with the likes of young gun Selwyn Cobbo, David Mead and former Queensland Origin winger Corey Oates.
Maroons rookie Xavier Coates will join the Melbourne Storm next season, opening up a spot on the right flank, and Pereira believes he can be an asset to the Broncos.
“I am very much looking forward to joining such a prestigious club like the Broncos,” he said.
“I know a few of the players there and I am confident I will enjoy my time at the Broncos.”
More Coverage
Originally published as NRL 2021: Bulldogs chase Kobe Hetherington, Broncos sign Jordan Pereira
‘Just so hard’: Panthers defend WCC call
There’s only one trophy the Panthers haven’t picked up during their stunning run of NRL premierships, and there’s a reason why they won’t be trying to win it next year.
‘Bring back Mary’: Panthers reveal Cleary retention plan
Panthers boss Brian Fletcher has signalled the club’s intention to re-sign Nathan and Ivan Cleary beyond 2027 - while possibly luring Mary Fowler back to Australia as well.