Agreement has been reached for Penrith Panthers prop Jack Hetherington to join the Vodafone Warriors on loan immediately after Sydney Roosters front rower Poasa Faamausili was recalled by his club today.
Faamausili spent a month with the Vodafone Warriors on loan in the wake of their heavy injury toll among their middle forwards.
The 1.90m, 107kg Hetherington (24), Penrith’s 2018 NRL rookie of the year, has made 16 NRL appearances, the last of them in the Panthers’ first-round win over the Roosters in March.
“(Head coach) Ivan Cleary, the Panthers and the NRL have been terrific in making Jack available so quickly after we lost Poasa,” said Vodafone Warriors recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan.
“Jack had a breakout year in 2018 and will give us the qualities we’re looking for, a big man in the middle who carries the ball strongly and is tough defensively.
“As we saw with Poasa, loan agreements have great benefits for both clubs involved.”
Hetherington is from impressive rugby league stock. His father Brett played a total of 142 NRL games for Canberra and North Queensland from 1992-2001 while he’s a grandson of 1968-1978 Roosters great Bill Mullins and nephew of former Raiders and Roosters star Brett Mullins.
