The inspirational recovery story of Brisbane centre Delouise Hoeter, with the help of a rising All Blacks star, has given the club a huge boost on the cusp of the NRL season. When the 30-year-old ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee in April last year there were grave fears his career was over. Hoeter has been written off before. After making his NRL debut in 2015 for Wests Tigers he did not play in the top grade again until 2022, with the Broncos, after toiling away in the Queensland Cup with Wynnum-Manly. The veteran is not the biggest name in the NRL but his return to action in the trial with Burleigh on Saturday is crucial for a club lacking depth in the outside backs area.
Hoeter said patella tendon injuries were rare but he reached out to 24-year-old All Blacks half Cam Roigard, who returned to action six months after his injury last year and shone in New Zealand's northern hemisphere Test tour.
